Unforgettable
by Crazily-Addicted
Summary: A/U. OOC. Bella left Jake's life abruptly after her wedding.Now 6 yrs later, a still alive Bella is forced by circumstances to return to Forks.What happens when their paths suddenly collide? Read to find out!Rated M for future chapters...Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

There are several things I'd like to clarify before starting this story.

This is an AU story beginning 6 years after Bella and Edward's wedding. For the purpose of this story the rest of Breaking Dawn never happened.

Bella and Edward are no longer married in this story. We will see why as the story progresses along.

This is a Bella/Jacob story. If this bothers you, please don't read this story.

As already mentioned, I don't hate Edward. Hence this story will not be anti-Edward and he will not suddenly turn evil! Hope that makes the E/B fans also want to read this story.

Renesemee was never born hence Jacob never imprinted.

Also this is my 'First' ever foray into writing…as in really…the FIRST… have never ever before even attempted such a thing…so I hope you guys take that into consideration if this story majorly sucks.

I would love it if someone is willing to proofread this for me and give me suggestion/ideas as to how I should proceed ahead.

As you may have already inferred from this endlessly lengthy note, my fic is gonna be a long one too…if you guys like it and want me to continue that is…don't know if long is good or bad…huh.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated.

And lastly, none of the characters so far belong to me. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer. If they belonged to me, why would I have to resort to writing fanfic? I'm just playing with them.

And now…on to the story…

**Unforgettable**

**Chapter 1**

BPOV

It was a bright, sunny day in Miami, Florida. My name is Bella Swan and I had just come in from an early morning swim and workout session in my mom's home gym. My parents had obtained a divorce way back…when I was very young. My dad, Charlie Swan was the chief of police in a small town in Washington State called Forks. When I was a teenager, my mom had remarried. My stepdad, Phil, was ball player which had its advantages as witnessed by the huge home in Miami and the private gym and swimming pool.

"Man…this is the life! No wonder you love it so much here. If I were you I wouldn't want to leave this place either! And I haven't even been to the beach as yet!" I exclaimed while stretching my aching muscles. My mother, Renee, grinned from the kitchen where she was trying…somewhat unsuccessfully…to fix a hearty breakfast for us. "Well, I've been trying to get you out here for a visit for the last 3 years now. It's not my fault that you don't want to spend time with your poor old mom anymore! In fact you got so sick of your mom that you had to move to a whole different country to get your degree even though we have excellent colleges here in the US. The only time I've seen you in the last 4 years was last Christmas and that too because both me and Charlie refused to listen to your excuses and forced our presence on you!" Renee exclaimed.

"Mom, you know that's not true! I did not choose to go to London to get away from you…OR dad, so get that thought out of your head!", I groaned even while guiltily acknowledging to myself that she had a point. I hadn't been avoiding them…at least not consciously…subconsciously though…who knows…my subconscious was pretty screwed up…and I had plenty of evidence to prove it. "I thought we were done discussing this…The past few years have been so crazy…I don't know how I got through them myself!" Even while I said this I knew that I was still giving excuses…not that anything could excuse my behavior. But I didn't know what else to say…my life; at least what happened in it six years ago was too complicated for her to understand.

"Oh Sweetie, I know. Believe me…Part of the reason I was urging you to come here was so that you would get away from all the madness. I know that school was important to you, but I wasn't very happy that you were there all alone in London, especially not after what you went through! You completely isolated yourself from me as well as your dad baby. Both of us were pretty frantic not knowing what you were thinking or how you were coping!" she had tears in her eyes and that was making me feel even more horrible.

I went up to her and hugged her tightly. "Mom, I'm fine. Trust me…I admit that things were not easy…not in the least…but I managed. It's not that I purposely kept you and dad away…well I did in a way, but I didn't do it to hurt you guys. When I left Forks and after the mess I made of things with…you know… "_Even though it had been 4 years since I had laid eyes on him, I realized that it still hurt to say his name…and it probably always would…after all you never forget your first love, right? "_…I kinda realized that I had to learn to tackle my own problems. I couldn't keep on relying on others to bail me out of my messes. I had to learn how to deal with problems, the healthy way, and not go crazy every time things didn't go my way. I also had to figure out what I wanted out of life. I realized that I was too dependent on other people for my happiness which is not a healthy way to live life. Anyways I wasn't alone…not really. I had all of my friends at school and I also had you and Dad and Phil. I mean I might not have visited much or called often but I always knew you guys were only a phone call away. I knew that if I ever needed you guys, you were there for me. And that meant a lot. Believe me Mom; I wouldn't have gotten through this mess without your support and understanding."

"Honey, you know we are always there for you whenever you need us." mom said while holding me tight. "I'm just glad that you're home now and that you're better. I mean, look at you! You look terrific! You look all grown up and matured! I can't believe this is my baby girl who I'm looking at…you're looking healthier and there is actually this sense of peace about you now. I have to admit, it's a HUGE improvement from a few years ago. I wasn't sure about your decision to go to abroad all by yourself in the condition you were in but I have to admit that it was the best decision you have made so far. I think maybe you needed the distance to gain some perspective." She smiled and gave me a kiss on the forehead before returning to whisking the pancake batter.

"Well Mom, I'm not sure if that's such a compliment…about having matured…considering that I did some incredibly stupid things back then" I laughed self deprecatingly.

"Oh Honey, don't blame yourself…you thought you were in love. Everyone does stupid things for love. Look at me…I am the resident expert on the subject", she immediately replied. I couldn't bear the thought of her actually defending my actions. She didn't even know the half of it. I wonder what she would have to say if she actually knew the full extent of my stupidity! What would she have to say about the fact that her 18 year old daughter was willing to give up her whole life, literally, for love? What would she say if she knew that I was willing to give up my soul for love? What would she say if she knew what I was willing to become to be with the person who I loved? And I wonder if she will so willingly and readily excuse my actions if she knew that I was even willing to give up…to abandon…without any warning… all of my family and friends? Would she ever be able to understand? Somehow I don't think so…oh god…what had I been thinking back then? How could I have even lived with myself if I had gone through with it knowing the pain my parents would go through?

"I don't think there is any excuse in the world that justifies getting married at the age of 18 without even realizing that its not what I really want, mom! And then as if that wasn't enough, I then compounded that mistake by getting divorced at the ripe old age of 21!" _Even though I had thought that I was completely over my past and all cried out…I still was dangerously close to tears as I said admitted all this to my mom. I don't really know why I'm crying now…I know that I've come to terms with all the things that went wrong…maybe it's the fact that I'm discussing this for the first time with someone who has as much of a stake in my future as I do. Or maybe it's the fact that I know that my mom was one of the people most hurt by my decisions 6 years ago_. " I'm 24 Mom, and I'm a divorcee…God…what was I thinking! How could I have been so stupid and blind! And I didn't even think about what I was doing to everyone else. I was so selfish that I didn't even bother to think about how my decisions were going to affect others. You, Dad, Alice, Carlisle, Esme…I ended up hurting everyone…and most of all Edward…oh Mom, I broke his heart! And all because I was and still am a selfish, self centered, completely self indulgent…!" By this time I was sobbing so hard that I was struggling to talk coherently. I loathed myself for my weakness! I didn't even have the guts to admit the mistakes I had made without breaking down... _'Ya mom…real mature of me!'_

"Watch it young lady!" Mom warned through her own tears, "You may be all grown up now, but I'll always be your mom you know. And when you are in my house you better abide by my rules. Which still include no swearing" she said with a timid smile in my direction. "Anyways now is not the time to talk about this. You just got here last night! And I've barely seen you this last year. So we have loads of catching up to do! Right now we should just relax and enjoy ourselves. We'll have plenty of time to discuss all the nasty stuff later on…after you've had time to wind down and have some fun. Now come on…go and have a quick shower if you want and lets have breakfast…I'm starving!"

I realized that she was right. Now was neither the time nor the place to discuss the tragedy of my life. I would much rather spend some quality time with my mom and have some much needed fun than rehash all the terrible mistakes I have made in my short life. I tried to give my mom a teary smile and decided that I had better use the excuse of a shower to escape this emotionally fraught situation…at least for a little while.

"You got it Mom. I'm rather hungry too. I'll be back before you know it. And uh mom…would you mind holding back on actually making the pancakes and the eggs till I come back? I would be much more comfortable eating a healthy, tasty, non-burnt breakfast that I make myself, if you don't mind?" I tried to tease her while heading towards the stairs that lead to my room. I looked back over my shoulder to see her mock-glaring at me which made me smile…a real smile this time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Upstairs, I quickly picked up a pair of shorts and one of my t-shirt with spaghetti straps to wear for the rest of the day and headed to the shower. '_I'm so glad to finally be able to wear clothes that allow the sun to actually reach and warm a part of my body_' I thought to myself. The last few years of my life had been spent in places where it was either too cold or too rainy to be able to wear shorts or light t-shirts. In fact before flying out to Miami, I had actually gone shopping with my roommates for newer, skimpier clothes. Needless to say, my roommates were totally thrilled - I had never before shown any major interest in shopping or any other girlie activity for that matter – Lisa cos she got to play dress Bella up and Dylan…well…basically, cos he got to see me in skimpy clothes!

I had never been majorly concerned about my attire or make-up for that matter…a fact that would drive Alice nuts! No matter how much she tried she could never instill her sense of fashion in me. I was the kind of person who was more concerned about comfort than the current industry fashions. The kind who would rather wear ratty jeans and worn t-shirts than the high fashion dresses and high heels. I almost always preferred hanging out with close friends at home watching movies and eating popcorn rather than go out to pubs and discos and party all night. That's not to say that I didn't have any fun.

When I started school I was a little shy and reserved and might have come across as standoffish to some people - though this was not due to any actual snobbishness on my part but more due to the fact that I just did not have much experience of dealing with people my own age, which is what happens when you spend the past 2 years of your life with 100 plus year old vampires I guess – but by the time school was done my roommates had taught me to loosen up and party like the rest of them!

I couldn't help but smile when thinking of Lisa and Dylan, my friends and roommates. They both were complete sweethearts and I didn't know what I would have done without them…they were my saving grace …I would have been totally lost without them.

When I actually enrolled in school, my life was in shambles and I was almost on the verge of a breakdown. I actually chose to go to London because I couldn't face the thought of being around the people that I knew looking at me with pity in their eyes. I was also terrified that if I stayed that I would get back in the same old destructive pattern…that I would be dazzled by the thought of Edward once again…that I would run across him sometime and I would not be able to resist the pull a second time. I just HAD to get away…from the memories and the heartache.

For almost the whole of the first semester, I was a zombie once again…I only existed… I didn't really live. I again felt as if my heart had been ripped out and a huge, gaping hole had been left in its place. Even though this time I was the one who had left, the outcome was not very different. I felt as if the smallest thing would disturb the delicate balance of my mind and tip me over into the abyss of insanity. Every day I would wonder if I had made the right choice by breaking all ties to Edward or if I had just made the most terrible mistake of my life. The nightmares were relentless and I have lost count of how many nights I would wake up screaming and crying. During those first few months there were many times when I almost gave in and called Edward to come rescue me from myself.

I don't imagine I was any fun to hang around with. I was a terrible roommate and an even worse friend. I was barely able to function at all and would suffer from terrible bouts of depression. I would be weepy one moment and angry the next. I hardly even spoke to them and snapped at them when I did. I don't really know why, but they stuck by me. They helped me out with my classes. They coaxed and cajoled and sometimes pushed me to start cleaning my act up. They included me in all their group activities…all the crazy schemes and immature pranks. I think that helped most of all. I could actually get to be a kid and freak out the way I wanted to. They introduced me to all their friends and forced me to get out and have more fun. They made me take an interest in studies and ensured that I did not neglect either my health or my classes. I don't think I would have even got through one semester without their help and support. In many ways, I owed my newfound confidence to both of them and for that I would always be eternally grateful to them.

Dylan taught me to laugh again. It had almost felt like I had forgotten how to do that. With Edward things were often too serious. I guess the constant threat of dying didn't make for a fun life. But Dylan was all about fun and games. He was an incorrigible flirt with textbook good looks…tall, dark and handsome. Girls flocked around him like crazy. But he was also one of the nicest guys I had ever met. His incessant flirting drove me crazy initially but I soon understood his MO. He was the kind of guy who pretended to be all macho and superficial to stop people from guessing that he was a complete softie on the inside. He was also the consummate prankster…coming up with one crazy scheme or the other and he usually ended up dragging me and Lisa into them. God knows how he did that. I think we were the ones who were at fault…we were just total pushovers where he was concerned.

Lisa on the other hand was the complete opposite. Calm, steady, sensible, down to earth and practical to a fault…she was the best friend a girl could ever have…she always had time to listen when you needed to talk. She was the kind of friend who would always be there for you no matter what. She was a treasure. She taught me to trust in myself once again…to trust my instincts as well as to gain back my lost confidence.

It was due to Dylan that I got into a habit of working out each day. It helped me tremendously in achieving my currently svelte form. I had always been on the thinner side but now I no longer felt delicate and fragile. I now had an athlete's body, still very feminine, but with well toned muscles. I had gotten into a habit of swimming t least three times a week and had taken up kickboxing!! Yes, me, a kickboxer!! Who would have thought, right? I knew I could never be a match to any opponent of the supernatural variety but now I could at least protect myself from the garden variety criminals. Dylan had made sure of that…

Lisa, on the other hand was into artistic stuff and she had urged me to take up dancing to get rid of my clumsiness. She forced me into a Salsa class despite my misgivings. Salsa soon became Jive and Jive became Mambo and so on and so forth. She and I even ended up taking some basic belly dancing as well as pole dancing lessons…much to Dylan's delight. (He kept urging us to practice while he was around…As If!!!)Looking back on it, I was glad that I gave in as it had finally helped me get some much needed grace and balance in life. Now I was no longer stumbling and tripping over myself and was much happier that I no longer needed to be rescued all the time.

I realized that I was still grinning like an idiot and that I had been in the shower much longer than I had anticipated. I quickly got out, dried off and dressed in a hurry. I quickly blew dried my hair and arranged it in some semblance of an order and stepped out. I made my way downstairs and found my mom patiently waiting for me.

"Sorry mom. That took longer than I thought it would", I called out. "Don't worry about it Bella. We are not on any schedule", she replied. I quickly set out making the pancakes and since we were both quiet hungry I also decided to make some eggs. Meanwhile mom took out the plates and the cutlery and began setting the table.

"So Bella, what would you like to do today?" mom asked while we were having our breakfast. "We could go out, do some touristy stuff if you want to. Or we could go shopping, get some lunch and even get in a spa appointment in the afternoon and still be back home before Phil gets home from practice. Or we could even go to the beach. Whatever u want…"

"Slow down mom", I laughed. All of that sounds amazing. How about we do all of the stuff that you just mentioned one day at a time? Cos I don't want to miss out on any of those things. I want to make the most of this sunshine. But as for today I think we should do the girls' day out thing you mentioned. I wanna relax for a couple of days before getting into the touristy stuff. Plus a spa would be really nice to de-stress as well as to get over the jet-lag. What do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea. Let me just call in and see if they have an appointment and then we can leave as soon as we are ready."

It turns out that the spa did have appointments for us, so we left soon after breakfast. Mom and I ended up doing some shopping during which she bought me a couple of new tops and I bought myself a great swimsuit in the hopes of wearing it to the beach sometime soon.

Then we had a great lunch where I caught up with all the happenings in my mom's life. Turns out she's really happy and content with her life here in Miami. It was the first time I had seen her 'This' settled. And she even seemed more responsible…which felt really nice. I think she was finally ready to 'BE' my mom. I was very happy for her.

After lunch we went to the spa and got ourselves pampered. I decided to get a facial, whole body massage and a manicure done. I also got my hair styled. Mom went in for the works. We just completely chilled out. We laughed and talked like two lunatics! It felt great to spend quality time with my mom.

Once we were done at the spa, mom and me drove home cos we were completely beat. I suggested that instead of making any elaborate dinner, we should just order a pizza and maybe watch a movie. Mom loved the idea and decided to call Phil and let him know that we were having a girls' night.

I decided to use the time before the pizza arrived to take a quick shower and change into my pajamas. By that time the pizza had arrived and me and mom sat down for dinner with napkins instead of plates and a couple of glasses of wine…weird, I know. I learned that Phil had decided to go out with his buddies for drinks and dinner. I think he was terrified of spending time in a house with two jabbering women!

After dinner, I helped mom clean up and she told me to go pick out a movie to see while she took her shower. Before I could do that, I realized that I hadn't yet called Lisa or Dylan to let them know that I had reached here. I had promised to keep them updated on my day to day activities here. So I decided that I should do that immediately as I knew they would be worried.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I knew that there was no guarantee of how long that particular call would last, so I decided to let mom know. "Mom, I just need a few minutes to call Dylan and Lisa and let them know that I've reached safely. Otherwise knowing them I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to send out the whole Special Forces in search of me" I said laughingly. "Hope you don't mind. I'll try to make it quick."

"Sure Darling, take as long as you need. And tell them I said hi, would you?"

As I dialed the phone I realized that it was the middle of the night over there but I knew my roommates very well and knew that they would be partying the night away especially since we had just graduated. I just hoped that they were not too drunk to talk to me.

Dylan picked up on the third ring and went, "Hey…Dylan, Bella and Lisa's residence. Who is this, what do you want and do you realize what freaking time it is?!?" I couldn't help but grin at his greeting and the thought that even though I had moved out he still thought of it as my place. As expected, I could hear the sounds of a full blown party in the background.

"Hey Dylan", I said. "Someone's pissed I see…is this a bad time? Don't worry, I can call back later…" I waited with bated breath and a smile on my face for the explosion that I knew was coming.

3….2….1…

"BELLA", he screamed. "OH MY GOD!!! Don't you DARE hang up this phone!! Its soooo awesome to hear your voice!!! I can't believe that it's been just a couple of days since you left…it feels like it's been ages since I last saw you!!! Howz you doing babe? Where are you calling from? Did you reach safe and sound? How are things over there? How are you doing? Howz your mom doing? And Phil? Did you talk to your Dad yet? God I miss you…the house seems so empty without you Bella…"

"Whoa whoa…Dylan… Slow down, will ya? One question at a time sweetie. I can barely hear you as it is. And I'm sooooo upset with you. How could you have a party this soon after I left?? Looks like you guys are celebrating my departure!!" I tried to make a joke. When he said he missed me, I felt like I would burst out crying cos I missed him too…I missed both of them…terribly!

Before he could launch into long explanations about the party and denials about not celebrating my departure, I said, "I miss you too Sweetie. I am doing fine. Yes I reached safe and sound. My mom, dad and Phil are doing fine. Mom says hi by the way. Yes I spoke to dad…yesterday while driving back from the airport. And no before you ask me, I haven't decided if I'm gonna go see him in Forks or not. Mostly not, I think. I might ask him to come down here once I know where I'm gonna be staying in the long run. Let us see. Does that answer all your questions? Or do you have any more of them? If no then how is Lisa? And how are you doing?"

"Come on Bella…how long are you going to avoid going to Forks? You and I both know that you have to go there at some point of time or the other. The three of us have spoken time and again about how you won't be able to completely move on with your life unless you do that. You know I'm right babe. You have to face your demons honey, and vanquish them." Dylan countered.

"I know, I know. Logically I know you are right. But I'm just so scared Dylan. I am terrified at the thought of going back. It took me so much time and so much effort to get over that part of my past. What if going back only brings it all back? What if I go back to being the same needy, desperate person that I was? What if all the memories are too much to handle? I don't know if I'm not sure I'm ready to get these questions answered just yet." I answered Dylan quietly.

"You know that you just have to say the word and both I and Lisa will be on the next flight outta here, don't you? I know we've discussed this and you've already declined it but I just want you to know that the offer still stands. We can come there and hold your hand while you do whatever it is that you need to do, so that you can finally be free of the past. Once you do that, you might finally realize that all this while you were actually desperately in love with me and were just dying to jump my bones! And then we can finally resolve all these years of unresolved sexual tension that we have between us."

I burst out laughing. "No wonder I kept feeling as if my day was incomplete! I hadn't had my daily dose of you yet! God I 'DO' miss you. So very much…What am I gonna do without you, huh? Who's gonna supply me with my daily quota of hugs now? Who will I turn to when I need a healthy dose of laughter? Who's gonna tease me and annoy me till I go crazy and then make it all better with just a smile? Who will I depend on to keep me grounded and sane now? And who's gonna act like the big, bad-ass protector and beat off all my admirer's with a stick,huh?" I teased right back.

"Bella, love, you already know the answer to all those questions. You always knew. You know someone already who'll do all the things that you just mentioned without hesitation if you only asked him to, who is a best friend and protector and guide and comedian and so much more."

I had a horrible feeling I knew exactly where he was going with this! I was praying with all my heart that Dylan was not talking about who I thought he was talking about…I was not ready to deal with this right now. I wanted to either hang up the phone or yell loudly for Dylan to shut up. But I could do neither. It was like I was frozen in place…just waiting for the explosion….waiting for my world to come crashing down…

Meanwhile Dylan was still talking, "I and Lisa always knew that even though you claimed that we were your best friends… we weren't at the top of your list – not by a long shot. Because babe, that place in your life was already and always occupied by someone else."

_Oh God no…please please please don't….don't say anything else…please don't say his name….please God…_

"You know who I'm talking about Bella, so don't even pretend ignorance. You also know that he is the main reason you are avoiding going to Forks. All of those other reasons you just gave me are bullshit and you know it. There is only one reason you are terrified of going back to Forks and that reason has a name. Jacob Black. You're just too stubborn to admit it."

_Oh Dear God…._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach as I heard him say 'THE' name. The dreaded, off-limits name. The name that I only, ever thought of when I was too depressed… too exhausted to keep up the barriers in my mind…barriers to the compartment in which I kept my memories of 'Him'…

The name of the 'One' person in the world who had the power to shake and shatter all my preconceived notions of the life I had. The 'One' person who could immediately see right through my carefully constructed charade to the actual person I was within. The 'One' person who always knew how lonely, desperate and needy I was even when I didn't know it myself. The 'One' person who could always make the world a better place, just by smiling. The 'One' person whose hugs had the power to warm even the coldest of hearts. The 'One' person that I could never forget…no matter how hard I tried.

'Him'… 'Jacob'…'My Sun'….'My Bestest Friend in the whole wide world'….

The 'One' person that I had hurt the Most. The 'One' person that I had turned my back on. The 'One' person whose heart I had broken a million times but who had still loved me…more than I had ever imagined or deserved. The 'One' person that I had not spoken to in 6 long years… '6' Fucking long years!!!

And the 'One' person whose forgiveness I had NO RIGHT to even ask for.

I suddenly realized that I felt a little faint and out of breath and quickly sat down before my legs gave out. I was totally speechless. It's like I had forgotten how to breathe, to speak. All I could do was close my eyes and try to assimilate all the thoughts and the images that hearing 'His' name had conjured up in my mind. The door to 'The compartment' had been blown right off its hinges and all the memories were seeping through…flooding my mind…in a kaleidoscope of light, color and sound…

Jacob and me on First Beach the first time we met…

Jacob and me in his garage, drinking warm sodas while he tinkered with his beloved Rabbit….

Jacob and me on our bikes; him teaching me how to ride…

Jacob and me on the cliff…

Jacob and me waiting for Mike in the movie theater…

Sitting with Jacob by the bonfire while Billy and the rest of the elders told tales of the Quileute legends…

The first time I saw Jacob – the werewolf…beautiful, glorious…

Jacob kidnapping me from school before Alice could do anything…

Jacob's smile…which had always felt like the sun bursting out from behind dark clouds…

His warm, bright eyes…the joy he took in everything he did…his exuberance…

The way he always felt too warm to the touch and how I never had to worry about the cold when he was around me…My Personal Space Heater…

The way he always just HAD to hug me or hold my hand or touch my hair…

All these memories just popped up in my mind…like I was watching a slideshow…in slow motion…

And then faster and faster… Jake hugging me, Jake kissing me, "Bells honey", "I'll never see anyone else, Bella. I only see you"

Even today, after all these years that statement had the power to bring tears to my eyes…

"I'm in love with you, Bella. And I want you to pick me instead of him. I know you don't feel that way, but I need the truth out there so that you know your options."….

"You love me, too…Not the same way, I know. But he's not your whole life, either. Not anymore. Maybe he was once, but he left. And now he's just going to have to deal with the consequence of that choice —_me _"….

"I'm exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us —comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your life would have taken...if the world was the way it was supposed to be, if there were no monsters and no magic."…..

"The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse."

And "_That _should have been our first kiss. Better late than never."……"I'm not going to cut you in half anymore"….

"Until your heart stops beating Bella…I'll be here – fighting"…

But I hadn't given him that opportunity… I had run away from him the first opportunity I got… without even saying goodbye… God…what a selfish BITCH I'd been!

The last time I saw Jake was at my wedding reception. I will always remember how I felt when I saw him there. The relief, the joy…the overwhelming joy… He had been gone for so long…and I had been so worried about him… I was so very glad that he was back safe and sound… but I was torn between wanting to dance with joy that he was back safe and sound and feeling horribly, terribly guilty about what I was putting him through… I knew how difficult this occasion was for him.

I remembered dancing with him…holding on to each other so desperately…saying goodbye…once again…

I always knew he loved me…even before he told me, even when I was completely broken up over Edward, I always knew. But I think that the day of my wedding is the first time I realized just how much…just how much he cared…how much I meant to him. The fact that he came back, knowing how much it would hurt him, the fact that he behaved, the fact that he tried to at least pretend to be happy…for my sake…. made it perfectly clear.

I still remember the torment, the horror in his eyes at the thought of what I had chosen for myself! I think I'll always remember that look…I think his eyes will haunt me forever…the despair, the grief, the hopelessness…

At that moment, I thought I still had time to make it up to him…to make him understand…to say a proper goodbye…

But then came the honeymoon…and what followed later made everything else fade in comparison… it changed my whole life...in a way I never even imagined it could.

I wonder what I would have done if I knew then what was in store for me in the future…

Would I have said something different, done something else, tried harder to patch things up with him…if I knew that I wouldn't see him again…not for 6 long years…and maybe…possibly…never??

And now that I was reminded of the old times once again…I realized how much I had missed Jake…how very much I had missed the company and support of my best friend…while also realizing the futility of my feelings.

I didn't even realize that the phone had fallen out of my hand…that I had tears running down my face… that I was almost curled up on the floor… hugging my knees to my chest…trying to hold myself together…to prevent my heart from shattering under the onslaught of the grief…

I wonder why I'm surprised by my reaction…remembering Jacob's pain had almost undone me but I still shouldn't be so surprised…after all Jake's pain had always been my pain.

"Bella…BELLA!!!" Dylan was frantic… I hadn't said a single word to him since he had spoken Jake's name… he could hear me sobbing my heart out and he was worried…justifiably so…

Dylan and Lisa had both seen me at the worst time of my life…they knew what I had been through when I left Edward (minus the supernatural part of course…or the ACTUAL reason I left him…no one knew that…except for me, Edward and the rest of the Cullens)…what I had 'become' and I think they would have done just about anything to ensure that I didn't revert back to that cold, lifeless person again…

When I still didn't respond, he quickly called Lisa to the line… I could hear him explaining the whole situation to her in the background. I also heard her chastising him for bringing the topic up…especially over the telephone…when I was thousands of miles away… Something about him being a 'stupid, idiotic moron!'

Then she took the phone and ordered everyone else to leave the room. Suddenly the music stopped playing and the voices of the people faded away…there was silence except for Lisa's voice.

"Bella sweetie…talk to me. Don't mind Dylan… He was just being a jerk, as usual" Lisa spoke soothingly. I could tell that she was really worried and I felt terrible for causing them unnecessary stress. I wanted very badly to reassure them that I was fine…but I was not capable of coherent thought…not yet… I desperately tried to get my emotions under control…

"Take deep breaths Bella… just like we practiced. Come on…count them with me…IN…now OUT…" Lisa went on. I followed her advice and soon felt a little calmer. Lisa realized I was much better, and started filling me on the details of the party…useless, nonsensical details, giving me enough time to compose myself…

_Thank you God…Thank you for friends like Lisa..._

Once I was finally in better control of my faculties, I assured her that I was doing fine now. Dylan came back on the line and apologized profusely. I told him there was nothing to forgive, that it was my own fault for suppressing my emotions like I did…that as a psychology major, I knew better. He finally realized I was doing much better and handed the phone back to Lisa, relieved that the crisis had been averted.

"Are you sure you're okay, Bella?" Lisa asked me. I could hear the concern in her voice. I'm sure she's wondering why I lost it so completely. In the past I'd only ever reacted this way when Edward's name came up unexpectedly.

"I'm fine Lisa. Don't worry about me so much. I just overreacted to hearing Jacob's name…I guess I'm only just now realizing how much I miss him, Lisa…I miss my best friend. And I can't have him! That's what hurt the most. The realization that I had burnt all my bridges where Jake is concerned" I told her.

"You don't know that. If you just talk to him and explain the whole situation to him, I'm sure you guys would be able to work things out. I mean from what you told me about him, he really cared about you, right? Then I'm sure he will forgive you. And anyways he can't blame you for loving someone else. How is that your fault? We can't control who we fall for remember?" Lisa commented.

_If only you knew the whole story, you wouldn't be s sure Lisa…How can he forgive me after what I did? I wouldn't be able to if I were in his place… _

But saying that out loud would prompt more questions than I was prepared to answer. So I changed the subject, asking her about what she was up to.

I and Lisa spoke for some more time and caught up on the happenings of the past couple of days. We had a good laugh about the fact that Dylan had apparently got into a fight with a guy after he unknowingly hit on his girlfriend…typical Dylan!

I was feeling really drained so I told her that Renee was waiting for me and that I had to go. We renewed our promises to keep in touch every couple of days and then I hung up.

The moment I kept the phone down, I realized that I had a pounding headache and that no matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to pretend with mom that I was fine. Especially not when I had red eyes, a blotchy face and a runny nose. She would know immediately that something was very wrong.

So I went down and told her that talking to Dylan and Lisa had made me miss them a whole lot and that I was not in the mood for a movie and would it be ok to skip it for the night?

She was completely fine with it and so after wishing her a good night, I went up to my room and lay down, praying that I would be able to sleep soon. But that was easier said than done. I could not stop the thoughts that were rolling around in my mind… I could not force the memories back into the compartment…they refused to be shut out now that they were free…

So I did what I always did in such circumstances…I took a little cough syrup and went off to sleep…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I woke up the next day feeling less than refreshed. The nightmares made it very difficult to sleep for more than a few hours at a time. Finally at around 5.30 am I realized that the whole effort was futile and I got up and decided that maybe a little workout would help me clear my head. So I went out to the home gym and began my warm up exercises. While going through the paces of my normal workout routine my mind was constantly occupied with the past…something that I had thought was already dealt with a long time ago.

I kept trying to convince myself that dwelling over what happened would not make it go away. Whatever was done was done. I had been a whole other person then. And even though I hated myself for doing so, I had inadvertently hurt a lot of people in my selfish and mindless quest for some so called 'happiness'…

I wondered if Dylan was right about me needing to go to Forks and dealing with my past head-on. My mind was convinced that he was. My heart on the other hand was quaking just at the thought of facing all the memories, all the familiar places, the people…

_Oh at least don't lie to yourself Bella…You are not worried about some random, nameless person…you are worried about Jacob!! The thought of facing him and his disgust… his hate… freaks you out!!_

It was true…I was absolutely, completely, out of my mind terrified of Jake's reaction…

In fact as long as I was being really honest with myself, I'd have to admit that I wasn't just worried about him being angry with me…cos u know…it was kinda a given that he would be…so ya…I was prepared for his anger…in fact I would almost welcome his anger…

It was his indifference that scared me to hell…I was worried about the fact that he would just not care anymore…that he would look at me and not feel a thing!!

That he would look at me and instead of the warmth, all I would be able to see in his eyes is the emptiness…that he would look at me and instead of seeing his best friend, he would see his enemy…

I don't think I could bare it if that's the case…I think that's one of the main reasons I hadn't even thought of calling him all these years…that and because I couldn't bear to hear him say 'I told you so'

_Again with the selfishness Bella…I mean…seriously…why should he care about you? Why would you even expect him to? You deserted him, broke not just his heart but his trust as well, ignored him for the past 6 years…and you still want him to care?!? What kind of a person are you Bella? I hope you realize that if he still cared about you like you obviously want him to, then he would still be suffering from your abandonment… Are you really selfish enough to want him to have been suffering for all this while? What kind of a friend are you? _

After giving it some thought, I decided that I was too much of a coward to find out if I could face him again. I didn't have the strength to go through hell all over again…Plus I knew that even if he ever managed to forgive me for what I had put him through in the name of friendship, I would NEVER be able to forgive myself…so in short, no good could come out of it.

I also did not want to dwell on the details of my break-up with Edward…I hadn't spoken of them to anyone…not even Dylan and Lisa or my parents…and I don't think I ever want to talk about them to anyone.

I knew it would be impossible to do that once I met Jake. I knew him well enough to know that he would practically demand to know all the details and I would not be able to deny him the truth…mostly because he deserved to know what happened…but also because I could never hide anything from him anyway… for some reason he always knew exactly what I was thinking…it was almost like he could read my mind.

Taking all these things into consideration, I decided that going to Forks would be a terrible idea, at least at this point of time in my life.

I felt slightly better after having reached this decision. After finishing my workout, I had a shower and made breakfast for all of us. Afterwards, mom and I decided that we would go down to the beach and work on our tans as the weather was perfect for it.

I vowed to myself that I would not think about the past anymore and live in the present henceforth. I had a great vacation to look forward to, followed by looking for a job as well as a place to live. I was also meeting my mom after a really long time and was determined to enjoy my time with her.

Dad was also planning to come down for a visit real soon and I was looking forward to that immensely. I had not seen him in ages and I had missed him tremendously.

The next few days were great. I and mom did some sight-seeing, got in loads of shopping, watched some movies and got ourselves some great tans. We even went to some parties thrown by Phil's friends. There I met some other people my own age which was great. Some of them were planning a vacation to Key West and invited me to tag along. Mom thought it was a great idea. So I went along with them. It was a weekend trip and I had a great time. All in all I was having a great vacation.

The only problem was that I knew that there was still something that I had to do that I had been avoiding for some time now. I realized that it was high time to get it over with. Just thinking about it was making me nervous but I knew I had already dilly dallied long enough.

I had to make a call…to the Cullen's. I had yet to let them know I was back in the country, even though I knew they would have known about it the minute I decided to come back. Hiding anything from them was impossible. Alice was more reliable than a lie detector!! But it was still rude on my part to put it off any longer. I owed them at least that courtesy. Just because things hadn't worked out as planned between Edward and me did not give me the excuse to ignore the rest of the family, especially not after all the things they had done for me. I should have probably called sooner but couldn't shore up enough courage to do so.

My relationship with the Cullen's post the disintegration of my marriage was strange…to say the least. Even though I ended up breaking Edward's heart, the rest of them still considered me as a part of the family. Carlisle and Esme still thought of me as their daughter, Emmett as his little sister.

Alice would still call up on occasion, especially when she knew I was in a particularly low mood. I think next to Edward, she was probably most hurt by my decision to file for a divorce and move to London. She had been looking forward to my change almost as much as I and Edward had. She had been really excited at the thought of spending eternity with me as her sister/ best friend. She was also the closest to Edward, emotionally, and hence she really understood how hurt he was by my loss.

I personally also think that she felt really guilty for not foreseeing this outcome sooner. Hence it took us some time to put things right between us. But I am really glad that we could work out our issues. I had always thought of her as a very close friend and I am glad that we could salvage that relationship.

Jasper was…well…Jasper. I was never as close to him as I was to either Emmett or Alice. But because of his ability to sense emotions, he understood what I was going through the most. He understood how lost I was, how much it hurt and how difficult it was to tear myself away from all of them…especially Edward. But he also knew, better than anyone did that it was something I had to do, for the sake of my own sanity… In fact if not for his presence, I most definitely would have lost my mind during the whole incident! When I told everyone about my intention to leave, Jasper - along with Rosalie of course – was the only one who did not try to change my mind.

Rosalie, not surprisingly was actually quite pleased with my decision to not go through with my change. She had never really approved of my decision to begin with. In fact I think we are actually closer today than we ever were before and during my marriage to Edward. All, this means is that she voluntarily talks to me now and doesn't appear to hate or detest me anymore.

Edward…things with Edward are complicated. I think part of the problem is that neither of us blames the other for what went wrong in our relationship. We both understood that each of our perspectives were right…from our own points of views.

I understood the motive behind his actions…my well-being. He had always had only my best interests at heart. His over-protectiveness, his reluctance to turn me into what he thought of as a monster, the careful distance he maintained during most of our relationship was all for my own good. I always got that, which was probably why I forgave him most of the times …and I had tried to understand this…to get past it…I really did but I found that even though I could reach a point where I no longer blamed him for what happened, I could never get past it…

He understood that I couldn't help feeling the way I did. In fact he probably agreed with my actions. He blamed himself for what happened no matter how much I tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault. He felt he deserved what he got for not being more careful, more responsible…

But knowing all this still didn't make it easier to move on…for either of us…because…he still loved me…and I still loved him. A part of me always would, no matter what happened in my life. And that made even the simplest interactions difficult. But we couldn't simply break off all ties. We had gone through too much, shared too much for that. So we kept in touch…not regularly but sometime…especially on occasions like birthday's and holidays. Alice kept us updated on what was going on in each other's life the rest of the time for which I was grateful. It still hurt too much to talk to him.

But this was one of the occasions where it would be rude to not call and let them know that things were going fine for me. In fact I was surprised that Alice had not called already…

I dialed their new landline number…and waited for the call to go through. My heart was thudding loudly and my palms were clammy with nervousness…

'_Please God, Please God, Please God…'_ I don't know if I am praying for Edward to answer the phone or for him not to answer…

I hear a click and then a chirpy voice saying, "Hi Bella. I've knew you'd call. But what took you so long? You've been back for almost 2 weeks now and you only just get the time to call me?!? I don't know whether to be hurt or upset!!!" I could almost imagine her expression.

I almost sagged in relief and took a deep breath. _I guess that answers that question…_

"Hey Alice! I'm really sorry I didn't call earlier. I know I should have. But I'm not gonna give you any excuses…what's the point anyway? I'm sure you already know why I haven't called", I teased her.

She laughed and admitted, "Yes I know exactly what you've been up to. Ever since I knew you were back in the country, I was keeping an eye on you so I'd know when exactly to expect your call."

I had to smile at her admission. _I knew it!_

"So how are you doing? How is everyone else? And how are you guys liking being back in Alaska? Oh, and do convey my regards to Tanya, Kate and Irina."

"To answer your question, everyone is doing fine. Rosalie and Emmett are off on ANOTHER honeymoon!" I could just imagine her rolling her eyes while giving me the news…"Carlisle and Esme are out hunting with Edward right now. And Jasper is right here, next to me. He says hi, by the way", Alice continued. It feels great to be back in Alaska though I still miss Forks…not enough excitement around here…but that could have less to do with location and more to do with proximity to you!"

"Ha Ha Alice…Very Funny! Hilarious really…"

"What? I thought so…"

"Anyways tell Jasper I said Hi back…and what about you? How are you doing?" I inquired, delaying the conversation that I knew I wanted to have with her.

I was actually glad that Edward was not around. I could talk to Alice about him without him immediately being able to find out about it…

"I am good too Bella. And you can go ahead and ask me about Edward you know…"

"How is he Alice? How is he doing? I mean really…don't hide anything from me."

Alice appeared to give it some thought. "I think he's doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. I won't lie to you - he still misses you like crazy. But I think he is improving every day. He no longer mopes around all the time. He has learned to accept the situation…even though he is not necessarily happy about it."

I didn't know why I had expected Alice to say anything different. It wasn't like I didn't know how Edward felt about me…but I guess it's still good to know that he was getting better.

"That's good…right? I mean…the fact that he is improving?"

"You bet it is!" Alice laughed.

"I'm glad. I never, ever wanted to hurt him…you know that right? I really do wish things would have turned out differently."

"I know Bella…and so does Edward. He'd like to see you, I think."

My breath caught. "I don't think that's such a good idea Alice. I'm not saying never…I'd like to see him too…someday, but not right now. I hope you understand. It took me too long to put my life back together the last time. I don't think I'm ready for a trip down memory lane just yet."

"Yes, I guess you are right. Don't worry. I do understand. In fact I already told Edward that it was too soon. So you don't have to worry about him. I'll make sure he understands it too. Anyways, let's talk about something else…I've been sufficiently depressed for one day, don't you think?" Alice said, changing the subject. "Tell me, what have you been up to? How was your graduation? You do know how proud of you we all are, right? Especially Edward…he always wanted this for you. I would have loved to see you in the black gown and cap…send me some snaps if you have them. I'm sure you looked really cute in them."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes…_AS IF!!_

"Thank you Alice. That means a lot to me. Graduation was awesome! I have loads of snaps. I'll mail some of them to you right away."

I could hear mom and Phil's private line ringing in the study. Mom had gone out some time ago and I wondered who could be calling on that number. Only a few select people had that number. I came to the realization that maybe it was Charlie. He had said he would give us a call to let us know his travel plans as soon as he got the bookings done.

"Hey Alice…listen I have to go now. I can hear the phone ringing in the other room. Have to go see who it is. I'll call you soon though. Bye. You take care of yourself, ok? Tell everyone I said hi."

"Bye Bella. You take care too."

I quickly hung up the phone and ran to the pick up the other phone hoping that whoever it was wouldn't hang up by the time I got there.

"Hello…" I panted, completely out of breath.

"Renee?" The person on the other end enquired.

"No, she is not at home currently", I replied.

"Oh I see. Then can I talk to Phil please?"

"Sorry, he's not a home either. They will both be back in a couple of hours. Can I talk a message?"

The person on the other end appeared to be contemplating his options. "Ummm…may I know who I am talking to?" He asked me after some hesitation.

"This is Renee's daughter actually. May I know who you are?"

There was dead silence on the other end for some time. I didn't know what was going on and was starting to get a little annoyed. "Hello…hello…who is this?"

"BELLA?!? Bella Swan? But how?!? How is this possible? " came the reply from the other end.

"I'm sorry…but do I know you??" I asked. I was now really curious to know who was calling.

"Bella, this is Billy here. Billy Black. Jake's father."

_OH FUCK!! FUCK FUCK FUCK…_

There was a dull roaring sound in my ears. Was this really happening or was this one of my hellish nightmares??

Meanwhile Billy was still talking…

I snapped myself out of the stupor I had fallen into after hearing his name. "I'm sorry. What? I didn't get that. Could you please repeat yourself?

"I was actually calling to inform your mother that Charlie…well…ummm…I don't know how to say this without seeming harsh but Charlie is hurt, Bella. He's been admitted to the hospital. Since he doesn't have any close relatives around here, I figured that I should at least inform Renee", Billy repeated.

"HURT?!? What do you mean hurt? How? Where? Is he alright? Oh My God…Tell me everything…Is he alright??" I was freaking out.

"I'm sorry Bella. There was an armed burglary at a convenience store. Charlie was on duty at the time and went to the scene. He was trying to get the suspect to surrender the weapon when he opened fire. Charlie was hit Bella. He has multiple gunshot wounds. He's currently in surgery and the doctors have not yet told us anything. I'm really sorry to be the one to tell you this…"

This was all too much too take in and I fell down in a dead faint.

5000 odd miles away, the vase in which Alice had been arranging flowers fell from her hand and crashed to the floor……

**A/N** : **So what do you think guys?? Good? Bad? Believable? Terrible? Would really like to know…anyways, the next chapter (at least) is gonna be in Jake's POV…haven't worked on that as yet…so just wanted to let u know that it might take a while to update…which is the reason that I'm giving u a longer update now to tide u over…lets c how it goes…** :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

JPOV

Embry and I picked up our luggage off the baggage carousel and stepped out through the automatic doors of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport into the cold, wet, windy evening. The rain – even though it was just a drizzle – felt particularly disconcerting after a whole week in Los Angeles where the weather had been warm and dry.

We stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked around for Quil who we knew would be waiting for us. We spotted him in his recently acquired Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG and walked towards him.

As soon as our luggage was loaded and we were inside the vehicle, Quil peeled away from the curb and across several lanes to merge into the lane headed towards the freeway. He was completely oblivious to the chaos he left behind – brakes squealed, horns honked and people cursed...all in a day's work as far as Quil was concerned.

Embry looked at me and we both rolled our eyes at each other. Quil was quiet possibly one of the worst drivers in the 'world'…which was not surprising, really, considering his passion for speed, his penchant for breaking rules and his recklessness. In fact, the only surprising aspect to the whole situation was that he could be so totally unaware of this fact!

I guess it was mostly our fault…we were so accustomed to his driving by now that we had stopped chastising him for it a long time ago. But I guess we should still be more careful about unleashing him on the rest of the unsuspecting population! I made a mental note to get either Leah or Seth to do airport pick-ups next time around…no matter how hurt Quil was by the fact.

The moment we hit the freeway, both me and Embry breathed a sigh of relief - he hadn't caused any accidents or been pulled over by the cops… a major cause for celebration in itself.

"So man…howz it going?" Embry asked Quil.

"Fine dude…just fine…" Quil said with a devil-may-care grin. "How was your trip? Did we get the job?" Quil asked, addressing the question towards both of us.

Embry and I had spent the entire previous week in LA holding meetings to discuss and negotiate security contracts with the management of Universal Studios for one of their upcoming movies starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Quil, Embry and I were equal partners…proud owners of a security consulting firm head-quartered in Seattle. The idea to start our own business had begun to sprout in my mind sometime just after the Cullen's abrupt departure from the area. We were suddenly faced with a lot of free time on our hands due to the absence of the bloodsuckers. At the same time, we could not escape the reality of our situation which demanded that we stay close to the reservation and keep phasing and patrolling in order to be ready for the next threat to come along.

It was a horrible time for me because of the overwhelming grief and agony, the inescapable guilt and the feelings of constant hopelessness. Everywhere I went, everything I did was just another reminder of what I had lost. My own house, my bed, my garage, my car, my bike…everything was tainted by her…immersed in bittersweet memories of her. It got to a point where I could no longer sleep or eat due to the intensity of my feelings.

I had always imagined that since I was so good with cars and bikes, I would pursue a career that had something to do with repairs and maintenance of vehicles…but now, that option was pretty much out of the question as I could not bring myself to even step inside a garage.

I was desperate to get away from the reservation – the one place that had witnessed all my joy as well as my bottomless despair. I found myself inventing excuses to spend as much time away from home as I could. I poured myself into my studies – I learned that it kept my mind occupied…helped me to 'NOT' think of Bella 'ALL' the time – and got through high school with flying colors. I applied to and got accepted to a local community college and started attending graduate level classes there.

As a distraction, I also started helping Charlie out with some of his cases. He was very impressed with what he called my 'natural flair' for this kind of work. He convinced me that I had a future in this line of work and thus the idea to start the business was born. After that it was just a matter of convincing Embry and Quil to go along with the plan. Six months later, 'Ateara, Call and Black Security Consultancy' opened its doors to its first customers.

On the surface, we were into providing personal security to the rich and the famous, consulting people on what security systems to use, assisting the local law enforcement in various search and rescue operations, etc, etc…but behind the scenes, we dealt, quite often, in the supernatural side of life – more specifically vampires. After all we couldn't ignore our roots, could we?

The rest of the pack, also worked with us…in fact…most of them were now minority shareholders in the firm.

We started small with a tiny, rented space in Port Angeles, but our unique set of talents soon ensured that we were very well known within the entire law enforcement community. Our success rate with cases was off the charts and we were kept busy with a steady flow of business. Soon, we had made enough money to allow us to expand our business to Seattle.

While making that move, we decided to hire some outside help – ex-military, ex-cops or ex-special ops guys to help us handle the 'human' side of our business! We also hired some surveillance experts and bought all the latest, hi-tech equipment to facilitate our work. This freed up the members of the pack to be able to concentrate more of their time and energy on the 'top-secret, supernatural' side of business.

That had been 2 years ago. Now our business was thriving and we had a work force of about 30 fulltime employees excluding 'the pack' and about 20 part-timers who were called on whenever the need arose.

Most of the team operated from Seattle now, though we still maintained our base in Port Angeles. This helped us to keep an eye on the supernatural happenings in La Push and carry on with our 'sacred' duty. We made sure that at any given point of time; at least two members of the pack were working out of the Port Angeles office. This rule ensured that the reservation was never without protection and kept the elders happy. They knew that we could easily make the trip home, if required to do so, in no time at all.

Sam usually preferred to work from the Port Angeles office and none of us had any problems with him doing so. We understood that he had to be close to his family. He was also the right person to be in-charge of the security around the reservation. The rest of us rotated the 'duty' every 10 days or so. That way, all of us could even visit with our families.

All of us absolutely loved our jobs and we were all doing very well financially as well. Slowly but surely, our business was expending. We were gaining good recognition – not just within Seattle but outside of Washington State as well. We were receiving more and more inquiries from places like San Francisco and Los Angeles. The business with Universal Studios was the ultimate testimonial of our success. The entire gang was psyched to be working for such high profile clients!

"I thought the meetings went very well. We've submitted our final offer to the executives. They haven't given us their final answer as yet but I think our chances of getting the assignment are very high", I said in answer to Quil's question.

"Sweet!" Quil responded.

"So how are things on this end? Any new business developments while we were gone?" I inquired. "And what about Sam and Jared? Any word from them? I hope things are fine at home."

"No major developments on the work front. I do have another meeting with Mr. Wright on Monday though, to finalize the specs for his new security system. As far as Sam and Jared are concerned, there are no new developments on their front either. They have been patrolling the whole reservation and they say that the area is clean. So I guess that's good news."

"Hmmm…That's good", I commented.

At this time, I realized that we were not driving on the route we usually took to reach the condo that we shared. The three of us had recently bought a three bedroom condominium overlooking Elliot Bay.

"Hey dude…Where the hell are you taking us?" inquired Embry, apparently also coming to the same realization.

"Well…it is Friday night…", Quil turned to look at each of us in turn. "Guess where everyone is?"

All three of us had the same crazy grin on our face. It had almost become a Friday night pack tradition for us to hang out in this bar near downtown Seattle called 'Garage'. Embry and Quil had stumbled upon the place during the first few weeks of our stay in the city and felt it was a great place for us to hang out (They insisted that it was a symbolic representation of the hell we used to raise in my little garage back home in La Push).

It soon became a preferred hangout destination…mostly due to its great bar, good food and good music, but also due to the pool tables and bowling alley. It was now kinda understood that anyone who had a free Friday evening on their hands would meet up there for some beer and pool. Sometimes some of our other employees also joined us…but more often than not, it was just us…the original gang!

It was a great way to unwind after a long, grueling week and I found myself looking forward to spending some time with my best friends – having a few drinks and enjoying a few games of pool.

We reached our destination in no time at all and eagerly made our way to the entrance after parking the car. Just as I was about to step in, Quil put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. I looked at him inquiringly only to see that he had a guilty/apologetic expression on his face.

_Uh oh…Quil's feeling guilty?!? This can't be good…Why do I get a feeling that I'm gonna hate whatever it is that he has to tell me??_

I resigned myself, knowing that I was going to hear something that would not make me happy in the least.

"What is it? What did you do this time?" I asked him with a sigh.

"Well….do you remember Allison? The girl you met a few weeks ago in that nightclub we had all been to…?"

I remember the night he was talking about. A few weeks ago, we had received the amazing news that our annual revenue had finally reached the coveted six figure mark! We had decided to celebrate by throwing a bash for all of our employees in a nightclub. We had all partied the night away by dancing and drinking into the early hours of the morning. That was one of the few occasions in my life where I had been completely drunk and woke up with a hell of a hangover.

I also vaguely remembered the girl in question. She had come over and introduced herself to me and offered to buy me a drink. I remembered thinking that she was hot…and kinda nice too…But I honestly did not remember giving her my phone number. I usually preferred to get phone numbers instead of giving them mine so that the ball could be in my court. The precaution stemmed from some bad experiences I'd had wherein some of the girls just kept calling even after I had explicitly told them that I was not interested.

My 'bad' feeling just 'worsened…'

"What about her, Quil?" I asked impatiently. "Just spit it out, damn it!"

"Alright man, just chill. And try to remember that I only did this for your sake, ok?"

_Ugh!! If he skirts around the issue any more, I'm gonna KILL him!_ I was very quickly losing my patience.

He looked at my thunderous expression and quickly went on to say, "Ummm…well…while you guys were gone, she called up a couple of times, looking for you. We ended up talking to each other and she seemed like a nice girl to me…sooooo…I told her you would be here today and invited her over", He blurted out quickly.

_I can't believe this!!! This cannot be 'FUCKING' happening to me…_

"WHAT!?! What the FUCK did you do that for??? Who the fuck put YOU in charge of my social life??" I thundered, getting in Quil's face. I would have loved to beat the hell out of the little shit for putting me in this position.

Embry realized that the situation could quickly go from bad to worse. He got in between me and Quil and separated us by putting a hand on each of our chests.

"Jake, man, cool down. Just let Quil explain himself, ok?"

I ran a hand through my hair agitatedly and tried to calm down. "Fine…I'm listening. Go on…"

"Well…I just thought it would be nice for you to go out – for ONCE – with a hot girl who also happened to have a good sense of humor AND who had more than a few brain cells in her skull!!"

"That still doesn't give you the right to do what you did!" I said, still a little peeved. "I can handle my own social life, thank you very much. If I want to go out, I am fully capable of going out and getting myself a date. I don't recall asking you for help!"

"Well maybe you should have…a long time ago!" Quil fired back.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean??" I asked…just barely, managing not to shout.

"It just means that your social life is practically nonexistent…or totally pathetic…depending on your point of view!! The last time I checked, you are a young, hot blooded 23 year old guy. You're smart, successful, good looking, well built, rich AND you drive an awesome car. All the logic in the world states that you should be swamped by women! Hell, we should have to beat them off you with a stick!!! But no…not you…you have to be FUCKING oblivious to the attempts of the opposite sex to catch your attention!!! Wherever we go, all the girls are practically drooling all over you…hoping and dying to get an introduction…and YOU…you just ignore them!! I mean you don't even notice them. For you, they don't even exist!!" Quil ranted.

'And the women you do go out with…well…I don't know where you find them dude…but all the giggling and the simpering and the 'sheer, absolute dumbness' just sets my teeth on edge!! UGHHH!!'

I was in shock. _What he is saying isn't true…is it? Am I really that oblivious to the opposite sex? I can't be as bad as Quil made me out to be, right? My girlfriend's aren't ALL dumb, right? I mean sure, I don't date much…but that's because I'm so busy, right? I mean, it's not easy to do what I've done. Owning a successful business at the age of 23 isn't a piece of cake. It takes a lot of determination, dedication and hard work. It also takes a lot of late nights and some sacrifices. I had the rest of my life to get to all those things that I had missed out on, right? Moreover, I know for a fact that no one can ever classify me as a saint!! I had definitely had my share of affairs and one night stands so what Quil just said about me obviously isn't true, right? What does he know anyway… For him, life is just one big joke after another. _

"That's not true Quil", I interrupted his tirade quietly. "Just because I don't behave like a male slut, it doesn't automatically mean that I don't notice girls. For your kind information, I notice them just fine! Sometimes I just choose not to act on it, that's all."

"Ya right!" Huffed Quil. I noticed that even Embry was rolling his eyes now.

_Great…That's just great. Now they're both against me…just what I need! _

"When was the last time you had a relationship, Jake – an honest to goodness relationship that lasted more than a few weeks…and with a nice, decent woman?? Someone who you could imagine having a long term relationship with? Someone you could imagine taking home to meet Billy? All right, forget that…when was the last time you even went out on a date? And I mean a real date…tagging along as company to a friend of Embry's date when we all go out doesn't count!"

I frowned. I really couldn't remember my last date which kinda lent weight to Quil's argument. But that was beside the point. I was currently pissed off at what I perceived as blatant interference in my personal life. And no excuse, no matter how valid, could justify that.

"I fail to see how what I do is any of your concern."

"How can you even say that, Jake? I am one of your best friends and I care about you! And moreover have you forgotten that the pack, all of us, are closer than family? It goes much beyond friendship and camaraderie and you know it!! I'm sorry that I crossed a line today….you're upset…I get that. I promise that it'll never happen again. But I'm just worried about you."

I sighed. I already knew that. I had never had any question about that. I had never had any reason to ever doubt Quil's loyalty and support. Now I was feeling bad about being so harsh on him.

"When are you going to let it go man? When are you going to let go of the past and start living in the present? When are you going to stop feeling guilty about what happened to Bella Swan? It wasn't your fault dude, trust me."

"Alright…that's enough Quil. I don't want to discuss this." 'Bella' was still a very sore topic…I avoided talking about her as much as I could…

He went on like he hadn't even heard me...

"You couldn't have done anything to prevent it. It was 'HER' choice. 'SHE' chose to go ahead with the wedding and 'SHE' chose to become a bloodsucker. It WASN'T your fault!!! Just accept that and move on, dude. Allow yourself to be happy…"

"Stop it!!! I said that's ENOUGH! This conversation is OVER." I declared.

Quil and Embry stiffened. "Whatever you say, Boss. We'll meet you inside. Just don't be rude to Allison. This isn't her fault. Don't punish her for my sins…she was really excited about finally being able to meet you again."

Quil brushed past me and walked through the door without giving me another glance…Embry gave me slap on the shoulder and hurried to follow him inside.

_SHIT!_

Without realizing it I had used my 'alpha' voice and turned what should have been a simple request into a command.

That was totally uncalled for.

_SHIT!_

I owed them both a huge apology….

**A/N : - So here it is guys…Jake's chapter…I gotta say…it was a lot more difficult to do than I imagined it would be…hope it turned out alright and that there aren't any glaring mistakes…lemme know if you catch any…**

**I know that the story doesn't really move ahead in this one but I figured I should just catch you guys up on what 'MY' Jake has been up to for the past few years. Hope you guys aren't too disappointed…Let me know what you think…**

**Remember…your reviews are my inspiration!! So please please please review!!! **

**Oh and by the way…next chapter? Also in JPOV…yippee!! **

**And hopefully after that one…if all goes well…the much awaited B/J meeting…keep your fingers crossed!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The small amount of light coming in through the French windows of my bedroom was enough to wake me up from what had been an uneasy, restless slumber. I looked over at my bedside clock and saw that it was barely 7.30 am…too early to be awake on a Sunday morning. Ugh!!

I felt shitty! I felt like I had barely slept at all…which was not surprising…since I sorta hadn't – not for the last two nights anyway. The 'Garage' incident had brought the nightmares back…with a vengeance…and they had definitely not been conducive to a restful night's sleep.

My argument with Quil had been easy enough to resolve. The moment I had apologized, things between us had been back to normal – as I had already known they would be. So no…that was not the reason for my restless nights…

My nights had been dominated by dreams of 'Bella'! Except that my dream Bella had been totally different from the way she had looked when I had last seen her…at her wedding reception – there she had looked stunning, gorgeous…she had felt so alive in my arms…her hand against my chest, so warm…the blush on her cheeks so 'human'…

My dream Bella on the other hand, had been cold, lifeless…inhuman!! Her movements had been too graceful to be real, her hands – when she touched me – shockingly cold, her gaze – too empty… There had been NOTHING of my Bella left in the cold creature that dominated my nightmares…NOTHING but hate for me in her lifeless, blood-red eyes!

The really screwed up part of the dream had been that even through the certainty that 'Vamp-Bella' would welcome the slightest opportunity to tear me to pieces…all I had felt was the overwhelming urge to HUG her…to HOLD her!!! And even in my dream, I felt utter disgust – at myself – for my weakness…my indulgence!!!

_She was supposed to be my 'MORTAL ENEMY'!!!! God…how 'SICK' could I get?? I was supposed to HATE her…I was supposed to want to kill her…not 'HUG' her!! I was one SICK…FUCKED UP individual!!!_

But DAMN…I missed her!! I missed 'MY' Bella…my best friend…I missed everything about her! Sometimes I wish she could still be a part of my life…in whatever capacity... I wish I could call her – like old times, discuss my problems with her…just 'be' her friend again. Sometimes I wish that I was as ignorant to the reality of the situation as Charlie was…I wish I didn't know 'what' the Cullen's were…Sometimes I almost wish that I wasn't a werewolf…and that 'she'… 'They' weren't my mortal enemies…

_What the hell is wrong with me?? Why am I even thinking this?!? I don't really wish for any of that…I AM a werewolf…and I'm glad AND grateful that God chose to bestow this gift on me so that I could protect my tribe, my people from the terrible monsters that existed out there, in the world… _

I shuddered in disgust at myself and rolled out of bed…anyway…my thoughts were certainly not going to allow me to go back to sleep…

See, 'THIS' is why thinking about Bella…or talking about her was 'NEVER' a good idea…

_Stupid, Idiotic Quil….Damn him and his big mouth!!_

I stepped into the shower and adjusted the water to cold…I needed the jolt to shake myself awake…

Once I was sufficiently awake, I made my way to the kitchen and put on a fresh pot of coffee. While the coffee was getting ready, I set about making breakfast…As expected, both Quil and Embry woke up as soon as they smelled food!

None of us had any plans for the day…so we just did the usual household errands – laundry, grocery shopping, etc.

My nightmares left me in a strange, melancholic mood. I had an overwhelming urge to talk to Charlie…the person who had 'lost' her as much as I had. The 'one' person who knew what 'missing' her meant!

Anyways it had been too long since I had last spoken to him – I called him up occasionally to check up on him and find out how he was doing. I tried calling both his numbers but he didn't answer either of them. I assumed that he was either hanging out with my father or was otherwise occupied and decided to try again later.

In the afternoon, Jared called to tell us that he and Kim were back from La Push and were planning a dinner 'get together' in the evening. We willingly accepted the invitation (The only drawback of Seattle, according to all of us, was less homemade food.)

We arrived at their place early…bearing a bottle of wine and flowers for Kim…to find most of the gang already there.

Apart from Sam and Brady – who had gone to relieve Jared from 'La Push' duty; the rest of the guys were already there. Paul and Colin had got their current girlfriends along – Simone and Cathy. Brady's girlfriend, Jennifer – who had been unable to join him in La Push – was also there.

Seth – our resident playboy – had apparently come alone…_At least we wouldn't have to spend the evening making an effort to remember the new woman's name and differentiating her from all the 'other' women in his life! Thank God for small mercies…Who would've thought that sweet, innocent and earnest Seth would turn out to be a ladies' man?? Not me that's for sure… _

We got ourselves some beers and joined the guys who were sitting around discussing the ongoing NBA playoffs. The women were all gathered in the kitchen, helping out Kim and sharing the latest gossip.

I wondered why Leah wasn't here yet…when we spoke this afternoon, she hadn't mentioned anything about being late…In fact, she was usually one of the first ones on the scene at these events to help Kim with the enormous quantities of food that always had to be prepared.

"Dammit! Hey guys, I need one of you to make a quick trip to the store for some more chips and beer. I just realized that we're running low." Kim said looking a little harassed.

Embry was the first one to respond. "Don't worry about it Kim…I'll go."

"You're a life saver Em…" She replied giving him a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I know…I know… You know you 'still' have a chance to reconsider getting married to this idiot and running away with me instead, right? You know I'd treat you much better!" Embry teased.

"Hey! Watch it, you dog!! That's my fiancée you're flirting with! Get outta here before I decide to break all your limbs and throw you out!" Jared mock threatened.

"Ok ok…I'm gone…please don't hurt me…" Embry laughingly said before leaning down to sneak a quick kiss from Kim. Jared got up off the couch and chased him out of the door…yelling dire threats at him all the way…

I laughed along with everyone, enjoying their banter… They were up to their usual antics but the bonding…the togetherness between them was so obvious…not even an outsider could miss it.

Seeing the whole gang, together, like this …goofing around and pulling each other's legs…gave me a deep sense of satisfaction… of belonging…

_Mine… 'My' pack… My family…_

_Who the hell cares about lost loves, broken hearts and nightmares when I have this? As long as I'm a part of 'this'…I don't think I will ever 'want' OR 'need' anything else… _

"So Jake…what's this I hear about you having an impromptu date on Friday night?" Jared asked with a smirk on his face.

_Uh oh…so maybe I spoke too soon…_

Suddenly everyone's attention was focused on me. When I looked around, I saw that even the women seemed to have appeared out of nowhere… the whole thing felt very much like an ambush to me!

_Wonder how long they've been planning this…Oh and I think I might just kill Quil after all for putting me in this position…and maybe Embry too…just for the heck of it! Oh, the satisfaction I would get when I snapped their little, itty bitty necks…_

"Alright…Fine…" I groaned. "I did have a date on Friday….There! I've accepted it. Are you guys satisfied now?"

"Oh no Jakey boy…You don't get off so easy…I want details man…come on…spill it!" Jared prompted.

"Oh good God! What are you…16?!? There ARE no details ok? We met at the bar, spoke to each other, had a few drinks, played a few games of pool with the gang and then I drove her home, alright?? That's all… End of story!" I had a very bad feeling that I was probably blushing by now.

"Um hmm… So did you have a good time? And more importantly, are you going to be seeing her again anytime soon?" Jared continued with his torture.

_I can see Quil's handiwork all over this 'interrogation'!! Grrr…just you wait till you're girlfriend's all grown up buddy boy… I'm gonna make it my mission in life to make 'your' life miserable! _

But in the meantime I knew that plotting revenge and giving Quil evil glares was not going to get me out of this situation. In fact, the only way to get this over with was to just answer the questions… This would get even worse if I tried to avoid the subject… "Yes I had a good time… and I haven't yet decided if and when I'm going to see her, ok?"

"Why not? Didn't you just say you had fun?" Quil demanded aggressively.

I looked over at Kim, hoping to recruit her support to get the guys off my back but saw that she was nodding along with everyone else…

_I cannot believe this is happening!!What? Did I just land in the middle of 'Torture Jake week' or something? Or was it more like 'Get Jake hooked week'?_

"Gimme a break guys…it's not even been 2 days since I – forcibly, might I add – met her…TWO FREAKING DAYS!! Just let me take this at my own pace, ok? If and when I decide to call her, you guys will be the first ones to know, trust me!" I declared sarcastically.

"Oh ha ha Jake…very funny! WAY to state the 'obvious', dude…" Quil retorted.

Just then, the 'interrogation' was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

_Whew!! Saved by the bell!! Thank you, God! _

Kim excused herself to open the door and returned with Leah AND a tall, blonde, 'unknown' guy…and just like that, all the attention shifted from me on to her.

_Even Better!!_

But I soon found out – after a chorus of "Hi Jeremy" resounded through the room – that Jared and I were the only two people present who didn't have a clue to this stranger's identity! Apparently everyone else had already met him sometime during the week…

After the introductions were over and we got the handshaking and usual chitchat out of the way, Leah led Jeremy to the kitchen to get him a drink. Then the both of them sat down near Jennifer and Simone so that Leah could catch up with them.

I looked at Leah as she was talking to Jennifer and observed that there was an easy intimacy between Jeremy and her… She was laughing at a joke Colin had told…and it occurred to me that she looked…almost happy…content…

Leah… laughing…now that's a sight that warms my heart… although it's not such an uncommon sight now a days. The move to Seattle had been overwhelmingly good for her. She flourished the moment she got a chance to put some distance between herself and Sam.

In fact, every day that she was away from Sam and Emily saw a re-emergence of the old Leah…the one everyone knew from before Sam's transformation.

Leah had gone through so much at such a young age… Having to see the person she loved – every day – with someone else, constantly being reminded of what she had lost… Such turmoil was enough to drive a person insane…but not Leah…it only made her stronger….What made the situation even worse was the fact that everyone…including Emily…knew that Sam had never really stopped loving Leah – he just hadn't loved her 'enough'!! And then…to top it off…she had to deal with Sam's guilt…and Emily's guilt…and everyone's pity and so called understanding!! The fact that she withstood it all…every day…for three years made her a candidate for sainthood in my book! She was definitely the strongest person I had ever known.

This strength…this willpower…was one of the many reasons behind my decision to make her my 'beta'… a decision I hadn't regretted even for a single moment… She had handled the new role and responsibility like a pro… She had a competence and a natural authority that everyone responded to. She and I definitely balanced each other out perfectly when it came to dealing with the pack.

In the last two years, my relationship with Leah had also taken a turn for the better…especially once she accepted the position as my second in command so to speak…

But the one thing that really bonded us together was our shared experiences. I had come to realize, over a period of time, that Leah understood what I had gone through better than anyone else. Even though we never spoke about it, we both understood what true heartbreak felt like. This made us feel… more protective about each other…I guess.

This protectiveness is what prompted my curiosity about this 'new' guy in her life… I decided that it wouldn't hurt to make sure that she really 'was' as happy as she appeared to be…

"Hey…so tell me more about this Jeremy guy…" I prompted Quil quietly.

"Well let's see… He's an up and coming writer…a friend of Jennifer's friend…they met at one of her parties, I think… Apparently they've been seeing each other for almost three months now and Leah has been keeping him a secret from us all this while!! She's been avoiding telling us about him. She apparently even managed to block all thoughts of him whenever we phased!!! So I'm guessing this could be serious." Quil filled me in.

_Well well…this is interesting…_

Just then, Embry got back from his emergency trip to the grocery store, with the items Kim had requested. In continuation to his earlier antics, he called out to Kim, "Hey Honey…I'm home!"

Just then he noticed Leah who was snuggled up with Jeremy on a loveseat at the other end of the room.

I was still processing the information I had received about Leah's new 'boyfriend' when I turned around and happened to notice Embry's expression… for a brief moment he looked like he'd been punched in the stomach...by a leech! Then he managed to school his features into a mask of impassivity.

_Hmmm…I wonder what that's all about…_

I couldn't help but notice that Leah didn't pay much attention to Embry's arrival. This in itself might not have been very noticeable. Her relationship with Embry had always been…rocky…to say the least.

What was weird was Embry's reaction… He walked right up to where she was sitting and asked loudly, "So Leah…who's the new guy, huh? Are you planning to introduce us or not?"

_Oh ya…Embry hadn't met him either…_

Leah looked up impatiently. "Yes of course. Jeremy…this is Embry. We kinda grew up on the same reservation and now, we work together… And Embry this is Jeremy…my boyfriend." The way she framed the introduction was clearly meant to imply that she and Embry weren't very close.

'_WHAT' is going on here??_

Jeremy got up and extended his hand to Embry for a handshake…

Embry just grunted. He then gave Leah a very sarcastic grin and asked, "So Leah, are we to assume that Jeremy is your prince charming?!? Or your soul-mate perhaps?? Or is it something like 'the other half of your soul'? Which is it, huh?"

_Ok…could someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here!?!This situation is getting more and more bizarre by the minute. Embry doesn't do sarcastic…ever!! That was Quil…or Jared…sometime even me…but never Embry…NEVER…and I should know…I've only FUCKING known him forever!!!_

For some, as yet unknown reason Embry's questions seemed to make Leah furious!! She gave him a glare that would have caused even a bloodsucker to tremble in his boots.

I tried to reason this out…I knew that at the peak of her 'Bitch Leah' days, she had always been more brutal to Embry. There had been many clashes between them and I remember Embry cribbing about her to me and Quil on many an occasion…But I had been under the impression that they had cleared out their differences…apparently I had been wrong…

"Oh bite me!! Or better yet…go fuck yourself!!" Leah burst out…

Everyone was stunned into silence…Even though everyone was aware that the two of them had always had a somewhat strained relationship, there was no way that the word 'strained' was enough to explain THIS! This was definitely strange…beyond strange!! Something was going on here… I was sure of it…and I wasn't the only one who was out of the loop about it… all the others were equally blank…their reactions and expressions made that abundantly clear…

Everyone just looked blankly back and forth from Leah to Embry…

Suddenly, Embry just burst out laughing...loud, mocking laughter…which only served the purpose of making Leah madder…

She just got up, excused herself and flounced off…right out of the door!! Without any explanation…without even saying goodbye to Jared and Kim…Jeremy apologized profusely on her behalf, said hurried goodbyes to everyone and followed her…

I was beyond bewildered…It was next to impossible to keep a secret…any secret…from each other when you are part of a pack…forget about a secret of this magnitude…how in hell had both Embry AND Leah managed to keep any of us from knowing about this…whatever the hell 'this' was…

Embry calmly walked into the kitchen and got a bottle of beer for himself. Then he turned to Seth and casually asked him if he was ready for another one. As if what had just occurred was 'NOTHING' out of the ordinary…

"Uh…sure", replied a clearly confused Seth.

Quil and I shared a look that clearly said, "Dude we need to get Embry alone…ASAP!!!"

I had a feeling we were missing something HUGE here…I had to get to the bottom of this…even if I had to pry it out of either of them…

With that goal in mind, I motioned to Embry that I wanted to speak to him in the other room. He shrugged but relented. I led the way, conscious of the fact that Embry and Quil were close behind. Once we were in the other room, we shut the door behind us and switched on the music system…loudly. Unfortunately this was the only way we could prevent everyone else from being privy to the conversation.

"So Em…anything you'd like to share with us?" I inquired patiently.

"No…Not really." Embry replied shortly.

"Then do you want to tell us what that was all about?" I queried.

"Nothing." Was Embry's only answer.

I glanced at Quil to notice that he looked as confused as I felt.

_Why is Embry being so secretive? Since when do we keep secrets from each other? Even before the whole 'werewolf' deal, the three of us – Embry, Quil and I – never had any secrets from each other. These two know EVERYTHING about me…from the most embarrassing detail of my life to the dirtiest little secret. I trust them with my life for heaven's sake… so it is beyond my understanding that there can be 'ANY' secret in the world that Embry feels he can't trust 'US' with…_

"Do you really think we're going to buy that? Especially when we were 'right there' to witness the whole drama?" Quil questioned.

"I don't really care… Think whatever you want to."

_And what's with the antagonism? What did 'we' do??_

Before I could question him any further, my cell phone started ringing.

_Shit! I should've switched it off or something…_

I looked at the display screen and saw that it was my Dad.

"Hey Dad…what's up? How are you doing?"

"I'm fine son…but I think you need to come home for a while" I could immediately sense that something was bothering him. He would never ask me to come home unless something was seriously wrong!

"What's going on Dad? What's wrong?"

"Uh Jake…its Charlie…he's been hospitalized….with multiple gunshot wounds…."

OH MY GOD!!

"What the hell happened Dad? Tell me everything… And how is he doing?"

"Well…it happened while he was trying to resolve an armed burglary. Instead of surrendering his weapon like Charlie asked him to, the fucker just opened fire!! And I don't yet know how he is doing. He's been in surgery for the last 4 hours…"

_Oh God… no wonder he didn't answer my calls…_

"Don't worry Dad. I'm sure he'll be fine…I'll leave immediately, so… I should be there sometime late night or early morning… You just hang in there, ok?"

"Sure. Sure. Don't worry about me." He still seemed distracted. I had a feeling like there was still something that he wanted to tell me. I waited patiently for him to go on. "Uh…before you come here…there's something else I guess you should know about…"

"What's that, Dad?" I asked him.

Before he could answer, I heard the beeping sound that indicated another call coming through.

_Great! Why does everyone have to call at exactly the same time??_

I checked the display once again and saw that it was Sam on the other line.

"Shit…Dad, I'm getting another call. It's Sam…so I have to take it, ok? Don't you worry…I'll be there soon. We'll talk then ok? Bye."

"But Jacob…" Dad protested.

"Dad I'm sorry but I REALLY have to go…" Before Dad could say anything else, I quickly hung up the phone.

"Hey Sam. Tell me…"

"Jake? You need to come back man…ASAP…" Sam sounded harassed…a rare occurrence where Sam was concerned.

"Yes I know. I was just talking to my Dad when you called. I know about Charlie. Don't worry, I'm on my way."

"Oh ya I heard about that…terrible news…but that's not why I'm calling you…and when I said that you have to be back, I actually meant ALL of you…the whole pack. We found two new trails during patrol today…"

My whole body felt like an electric current had passed through it. Embry and Quil – who'd also, heard Sam's news growled low in their throats.

Sam went on, "We tried to follow the trails and they led us all the way back to the old Cullen property…there we saw Alice Cullen and her mate – Jasper, I think – getting out of their car!"

JESUS!!

"Sam… Just hold down the fort. We'll be there in just a few hours ok?"

I hung up before Sam without waiting for Sam's response.

"Embry, arrange for transportation. I don't think travelling by road will be the best idea… Charter a flight if you can…just ensure that we're ready to move within the hour! Quil, update the others about the situation. I'm going to get a hold of Leah. Tell everyone that they have half an hour to get their stuff…they better be back here within that timeframe! All right guys, GO, GO, GO…LET'S MOVE IT!!"

**A/N:- Don't you all love just LOVE 'take-charge' Jake?? I know I do :) Alright people…this is it!! The moment you've all been waiting for…Everyone's back in Forks… Wondering how Bella and Jake will meet? Wondering how they'll react to seeing each other after 6 long years? Wondering if Edward is back? Well stay tuned for the next installment…And please, please don't forget to review… Or I might forget to update… ;) **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

BPOV

Renee and I were among the first passengers to stumble out of the tiny aircraft as soon as it landed in Port Angeles. I'm sure most people who saw us running frantically through the rain into the airport terminal at 4.00 am wearing just shorts and t-shirts – no jackets or wind cheaters – were wondering if they needed to call 911 to report a 'crazy-women sighting'; but for once in my life I didn't give a damn what other people thought!! We had been travelling non-stop for the last 10 hours and I was fully aware of how tired and cranky and less than impeccable I looked. But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was that I reached Forks…and my father's bedside as soon as I possibly could! I was very much aware that every passing minute was a minute that I could ill afford to lose.

_Damn cross country travel to hell anyway!! Why the hell did it have to take so long to travel to Forks from Miami?? Why couldn't it have been a more reasonable amount of time…like maybe 2 hours instead of 10!! UGH!!! Couldn't the damn plane fly any faster?? And as long as I was complaining anyway… why couldn't Phil and Mom have stayed in a place like California?!? Still sunny…but much, much closer to Dad! Why the hell did they have to be on the other 'Freaking' side of the country…more than 2500 miles away?!? _

Every second of every minute spent in travel had been fraught with nervous tension. I was uncomfortably aware that every second that ticked by was extremely precious… Every second that ticked by….could be 'ONE' second too late! Every second that ticked by…felt like an eternity…

It had been a hellish 12 hours or so…

If I examined my feelings carefully, I would realize that I didn't even know what I was feeling…all I knew was that the numbness that I had felt soon after Billy's phone call had long since worn off… now, all I could say; was that I was veering somewhere between mind numbing fear and gut twisting worry… every second's delay was unacceptable and I didn't know how I had managed to go on for so long without screaming out loud or breaking down into loud, anguished wails!

Looking back over the events of the previous day, I realized that I didn't remember much of what had happened after I lost consciousness while speaking to Billy. I don't even know how long I had been out but when I had come to, I had been lying on the study floor…the handset of the phone lying right beside me. For a moment I had been completely disoriented…not sure what had happened and why I was lying on the floor...

Then it had all started sinking in…the phone call….the shock of talking to Billy Black…the terrible news about Charlie…

That was when the numbness had begun to set in… and the next thing I remember is being seated in the flight to Port Angeles besides Renee with no recollection of how I got there.

I just have very vague recollections…brief flashes of events that I wasn't even sure had actually occurred – driving to the airport, walking to the gate…Phil hugging both of us goodbye and urging Renee to give him a call as soon as we heard anything or in case we needed anything. Calling Lisa and Dylan…talking to them, telling them what had happened and sobbing out my worries to them…their reassurance that everything would be fine. Then the long, torturous flight to Seattle…the seemingly endless wait for the connecting flight to Port Angeles and the interminable last leg of the journey which brought us here…

I have to assume that somewhere in-between the time I picked myself up off the floor and the time that Phil drove us to the airport, I must have called up Renee and explained the whole situation to her. I also have to figure that she must have made the travel arrangements as I had not really been capable of making such long term decisions at that point of time. Following the same thread of logic, I have to assume that I then packed my bags and changed into the clothes I am wearing now… but I have no memory of any of these events…

All I remember are the endless tears…the feeling of helplessness and desperation and the cold, sick dread pooled in the bottom of my stomach…

Renee and I had spent the duration of the flight clinging desperately to each other…praying for a miracle! Neither of us had been able to either eat or sleep even a wink throughout the endless journey and it showed on our faces…the hollowness, the dark circles and the tear tracks. But now that we were so close to our destination, even taking the time to freshen up was out of the question…We had wasted enough time as it is…

As soon as we collected our luggage we made our way to the car rental counter…only to be informed by a very bored, sleepy looking clerk that we would have to wait for some time for their only available vehicle to pass the inspection that it was currently undergoing.

The thought of wasting some more time…unnecessarily…made me want to scream and yell in frustration!

_UGH!!! What is wrong with these people anyway?!? How can they be so laid back??? Didn't they understand that I HAD to get to Forks as soon as possible?? Didn't they get the seriousness of the situation?!? My father was fighting for HIS LIFE GODDAMMIT!! Didn't they get that I HAD to be there by his side in case he needed me…needed my strength…needed my support?? Didn't they get that I had to be there… to hold his hand, to urge him to get better soon, to tell him that I needed him, that I loved him? Didn't they understand that I had to do all the things that I had not done, say all the things that I had never said… before it was too late? _

I realized that I was crying… silent, desperate tears of hopelessness and heartbreak! It almost felt like I had already assumed that the worst was going to happen and I was disgusted with myself… and my defeatist attitude… I tried to wipe my tears away but they just kept on flowing…

Renee – who had been arguing with the clerk all this while – trying her best to get some alternate means of transport organized – seemed to realize that I was fast reaching my breaking point and reached for me…taking me into her arms.

"Oh baby…don't cry…NOTHING is going to happen to Charlie…he is going to be just fine…You'll see…" She crooned. I clung to her, desperately wanting to find comfort in her embrace, her belief…

The sudden, unexpected ringing of my cell phone interrupted my bout of self-pity and I fearfully picked up the phone…expecting it to be Billy. I was trembling from head to toe…fearing the worst. I had to clear my throat several times before I could even manage to say 'Hello'.

I could never have guessed – for the life of me – who would be answering my tentative greeting.

"Welcome home Bella!" said Alice from the other end of the line. She sounded somber…the usual chirpiness missing for her voice.

"Oh my god Alice! Where are you calling from? How did you know where I was? Um…Don't answer that...it was a stupid question I guess… Do you know about Charlie? Of course you do…another stupid question…Oh God…I don't know what's wrong with me today. Must be the lack of sleep…"

"Slow down Bella. And just breathe. At least gimme a chance to get in a few answers to your questions ok? I am right here…in Port Angeles. I knew that you would be arriving at this time and I figured that you could use a lift…so here I am…at your service. When I 'saw' what had happened, I figured you could do with a friend. Someone to help you with all the trivial things while you concentrated on helping Charlie recover. So Jasper and I came here as fast as we could. And before you ask me…it's just the two of us…Edward's not here. I didn't tell him…in fact I left before he even got home so he has no clue about any of this…"

I couldn't believe it!! Alice was here…HERE!! Some of the tension I had been feeling drained out at the thought of having her emotional and moral support. Just the thought of having her around to rely on made me feel like everything was going to work out. I was also relieved that she had understood that I didn't need the complication and confusion of having Edward around at a time like this. I realized, once again, how lucky I was to have a friend like Alice in my life!

I informed Renee – who had been impatiently listening to my side of the conversation – that Alice was waiting outside to offer us a ride and even though I could clearly see that she was suspicious as to the implications and reasons behind Alice's sudden appearance, I was grateful that she chose not to comment on it. I think she knew that now was not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth.

We hurried out of the airport to find Alice waiting for us, her yellow Porsche parked right outside the airport. I ran into her open arms, feeling a sense of peace when they closed around me…I was hugging Alice…one of my closest friends, my sister…after 5 years!! I couldn't help the few tears that escaped my eyes even through my efforts to keep them contained.

"Shush…Bella. Calm down. I know that you've been worried about Charlie. I was with him for most of the night. You'll be happy to know that he has come out of surgery and is stable at the moment. He is currently being kept in the Intensive Care Unit and the doctors are still not being very forth coming about his condition but he is doing much better than he was just a few hours ago. And he is remarkably strong and fit for his age. So…I'm sure he is going to pull through this. He's going to recover…don't you worry", Alice reassured me calmly.

As Renee and I got in the car, I found myself desperately wanting to question her… were her reassurances of Charlie's recovery based on her own 'visions'? Or was she just telling us doctor's opinion? But I was very conscious of Renee's presence and held my tongue.

But, Alice took one glance at me and seemed to know exactly what I was thinking!! I don't know how…maybe I still hadn't learned to control my expressions…or she just knew me 'That' well…or living with Edward for so long had finally rubbed off on Alice… whatever…

She gave me a sad smile and silently shook her head. I immediately understood that she was trying to tell me that she hadn't had any 'visions'. I was totally crushed. I trusted Alice's visions implicitly and had been looking forward for a more definite 'confirmation' of Charlie's recovery!

With Alice in the driver's seat, we were in Forks within 20 minutes of leaving Port Angeles. I had expected my mom to be freaked out by her brand of driving but she was surprisingly silent through-out the short ride.

As soon as we pulled up in front of the Forks Community Hospital, I saw Jasper, pacing around in the parking lot, which was a very unusual sight. I had NEVER known Jasper to openly display his emotions…he was…what you could call the 'stoic' type…

Before I could question Alice about his behavior; Jasper saw us enter the parking lot. As soon as he was aware of our presence, his face was once again - serene…it was almost as if I had just imagined the 'worry' on his face…

'_Maybe I DID imagine it…'_

"Mom…How about you go on ahead? I'll just go, say hello to Jasper and then join you, ok?"

"Alright Bella…but hurry up."

_Thank God Mom is, currently, not in the mood to examine my motives too deeply… Wonder how long that'll last…_

"Bella…" Jasper walked towards me with a very warm smile on his face and pulled me into a tight hug. "It's so nice to see you after such a long time even though I wish it were under better circumstances…"

I could feel the soothing waves of emotion Jasper was sending my way and for the first time since this ordeal began, felt somewhat calm and in control. I gave him a grateful smile. "It is so very nice to see you too!" I turned to include Alice in on my next statement. "Thank you…both of you. You have no idea how much your presence here means to me. Even after everything that happened, I can't believe you guys are still here!!" I said, almost overcome with emotion.

"Hey, hey. None of that now…Not on my watch", Jasper said teasingly.

"Come on Bella…did you really think that just because Edward and you did not work out, we would abandon you? You're still family…" Alice scolded me.

"Oh all right! Don't worry…I won't blubber all over you. Anyways let's go in and see how Charlie is doing", I said, indicating that they should both follow me.

In my haste to reach Charlie, I did not notice the peculiar exchange taking place between Alice and Jasper as we began walking towards the hospital entrance. I totally missed the worried expression that once again marred Jasper's face as soon as I turned away from him…and the questioning look Alice gave him; which he only answered with a shrug before trailing behind us into the hospital lobby.

But I could not help but notice the fact that when I turned around to ask for directions to the ICU, neither Alice nor Jasper were behind me. When I impatiently went back to look for them, I found Alice, frozen on the spot…just inside the lobby area! She was looking at Jasper with a look of horrified comprehension while he just appeared resigned…

"What's with the delay guys? Come on…Hurry up…" I said, hurrying them along.

"If I had to guess, I would say that Alice has just correctly identified the reason behind her 'lack of vision' where Charlie is concerned…Am I right honey?" Jasper queried.

"What? What does that mean? Quit being so cryptic and get to the point…" I looked back and forth between Alice and Jasper trying to decipher their facial expressions…

"I figure she deserves some sort of warning before she walks in there, doesn't she?" Alice questioned Jasper right back.

I tensed...worried about what she was going to say next… hoping that she had been telling me the truth about Charlie's condition…

"No no…Charlie's fine…really…don't worry about that", she hurriedly reassured me after seeing and correctly interpreting my worried expression. "I just figured that you would want some sort of advance notification of the 'cause' – or should I say 'causes' behind my 'blindness' about Charlie's future…"

With a blinding clarity, I suddenly connected and correctly interpreted all the 'dots'…the absence of Alice's visions….Jasper's worry…the unusual pacing…the disgusted expressions on both their faces right now…

'_Oh God…she's trying to tell me that 'they'… 'the werewolves' are inside…'_

My breathe whooshed out of me and my legs suddenly felt weak and unsteady…

"Who Alice? Just tell me who…" I tried to hold myself together, even though I was trembling with fear inside…

'_Why me?? Why now?? I don't know if I'm strong enough to deal with this right now…Oh…What am I going to do?? Oh God…Jacob…I hope it's not Jacob…'_

My heart sank…

'_Well what else did you expect, Bella?'_ The evil side of my conscience gleefully questioned me…enjoying the thought of my discomfort… _'You knew that you would have to face them the moment you stepped foot in Forks! Isn't that the reason you've avoided coming here for so long? Well guess what… your reprieve's over… You can't run away anymore, can you?? Looks like your past has finally caught up to you…'_

Alice looked at me sympathetically… "I don't know Bella…I'm sorry. I wish I could help you out but you know we can't differentiate them apart… All I can tell you is that more than one of them is here at the moment."

'_Great!! Just what I 'Freaking' need right now…Can this day get ANY worse??'_

"Tell me what you need, Bella. Is there anything that I…we…can do to make this easier for you?"

'_So…what are you gonna do now, huh Bella? Bury your head in the sand…or face the consequences of your actions like the adult you claim to be??'_

I suddenly realized that I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. Charlie needed me right now… and his health was far, FAR more important than any of 'my' stupid problems at this point of time. I certainly hadn't come all this way only to abandon him right now.

I squared my shoulders and took a deep fortifying breath. I simply held out my hand to Alice, indicating that all I needed from her was her support and her presence. She clasped my hand in hers and gave me an encouraging smile as we stepped into the elevator…

I hadn't ever thought about how loud an elevator 'ding' could be…at least not until the noise almost made me jump out of my skin…

_Oh come on, Bella!! You're behaving like the heroine of a really bad horror movie! Anyone looking at you right now would totally believe that you are going to be ripped to pieces by a 'B' grade villain in a 'mask' within the next few minutes!! Get a grip…will you?!? _

I giggled guiltily and stepped out…cautiously… into the hallway leading up to the double doors of the ICU….

…Only to run straight into two 'pissed off' looking werewolves…

Leah grabbed my arm…ignored Alice and Jasper's growls… and led me forcefully into a supply closet. Quil, Alice and Jasper were right behind us.

The person who had planned and approved the dimensions of the supply closet had obviously not meant it to be used as a conference room!! And especially not for 'this' sort of a meeting! The closet was barely big enough to accommodate three people… let alone two werewolves, two vampires AND a human!

'_I sooo wish I could get away with rolling my eyes…but I don't think anyone here is in the mood to appreciate it right now!! Well…Thank God at least two of us don't need to breathe! Otherwise there would be a serious lack of oxygen in here…'_

As if things weren't complicated enough, the werewolves looked like they could lose control and 'phase' at ANY moment and the vampires looked like they were ready to pounce in case they did!!

As soon as we were all squished inside the closet, Quil turned and pointed to Alice and Jasper, "You two…better stay out of it. This doesn't concern either of you. This is between us and Bella." In response, Jasper just gave a menacing glare whereas Alice just tightened her grip on my hand.

"What the FUCK do you think you're doing?!?"

_Typical Leah…I guess 'she' hasn't changed much in 6 years…_This time I did roll my eyes…

"And hello to you too Leah, Quil…How have you both been?"

"Oh cut out the bullshit 'Isabella'!"_ Hmmm…I guess pleasantries are out…_ "Just tell me…why in hell are you here??"

"Where else would I be Leah? Do I need to remind you that my father is just down the hall fighting for his LIFE?" I asked as calmly as I could manage under the circumstances. "Not that I don't appreciate the fact that you guys have some questions and deserve some explanations, but I really need to go and see how he is doing…right now!"

"Oh, excuse us for not realizing how 'WORRIED' you are about 'your father's' health!" Quil inserted in coldly.

"Hey! Shut up, you MUTT!!" Alice growled. I put a steadying hand on her arm…telling her to stay out. I didn't need her or Jasper to fight my battles for me. I could take care of this myself.

"What the HELL is your problem?!?"

_I've had enough…This is just the last straw!!! How dare they?!? Where the hell do they get off talking to me like that??_

"You're gonna have to excuse me…but I have to go see my father!" I calmly walked out of the closet.

Unfortunately for me, Leah and Quil were not easily deterred. They walked right in front of me…blocking my way to the ICU.

At this point, I was feeling so frustrated, that I would have just plowed through them if I had the strength to do so…

'_Why oh why didn't I let Edward change me??'_

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" I said through gritted teeth.

I was so involved in the argument that I didn't even notice that we had an audience. Billy, Sue, Emily and Renee stood just outside the ICU…witnessing the whole confrontation. Renee was wringing her hands while Billy looked like he wanted to run interference…Sue and Emily just looked worried.

"Frankly speaking, YOU are our PROBLEM!" Leah continued as if she hadn't heard me. "You walked out of here SIX years ago…without ONCE considering how it would affect the people in your life – your DAD, your friends…Jake!! AND you don't bother to stay in touch…no calls, no letters, no mails… You never…ONCE… showed enough concern to even let them know that you're ALIVE!! And NOW…SIX years later…you walk back in our lives…AND expect us to be CIVIL?!? Expect us to think you actually GIVE A DAMN?!?"

Each word out of Leah's mouth was like a bullet straight to my heart…

"GOD YOU MAKE ME SICK!!" She went on…

"Stop it! STOP IT!! STOP IT!!" I covered up my ears and screwed up my eyes…not wanting to hear these accusations… or see the disgust on their faces…

Thus I was completely oblivious to the fact that Jacob, Seth and Embry had walked off the elevator and into the hallway…just in time to witness Leah's tirade. I also completely missed the look of shock on their faces…as well as the quick glances Seth and Embry threw Jacob…who – for a brief moment – looked like he'd been confronted by a ghost…before visibly pulling himself together…

I felt Alice and Jasper come closer and put their arms around my shoulders from both sides. I leaned into them… grateful for their support…

"LEAH! QUIL! I think that's enough!!"

Even though I wasn't facing in the right direction, I was immediately able to recognize the source of that voice…After all I'd heard 'that' so many times in my dreams…I quickly turned around to look at him…

OH MY!! He looked so wonderful!!! The same…and yet so different!! Till this moment I hadn't even realized that my memories of him were so blurred, so hazy… But seeing him…in the flesh made me aware of the fact that the picture of him that I carried in my head could never do him any justice… It could never capture his essence, his vitality, his energy, his sheer presence…

There were so many little things that I had forgotten…like how tall he was and how very beautiful…like how vibrant, how warm his eyes were…like how his presence could light up the entire room…like how his warmth, just seeped into EVERYTHING and EVERYONE all around him…like how wonderful he smelled…

I hungrily took in every detail… only NOW, realizing just how starved I had been…

'_JACOB… JAKE!!'_

My heart was screaming his name…desperately wanting his attention…wanting to see his smile…wanting to hold his hand…wanting to be enveloped in one of his bone-crushing hugs…wanting to hear him call my name…

My hand rose towards him instinctively…but he didn't even glance at me…

'_Look at me…please…please…look at me…WHY won't he EVEN look at me?'_

"What the hell is going on here? What do you think you're doing?!? Jake thundered at Leah and Quil. "No…Don't even bother trying to find excuses for your behavior…because there aren't any!! Just Leave…both of you…go home!"

They both looked like they wanted to protest but one look at Jake's face and they relented. They both gave me a glare before walking away and I knew that this particular confrontation was far from over…

The moment they left, Jake finally addressed me…STILL without looking at me… "I apologize on behalf of Leah and Quil. Their behavior was uncalled for. I assure you that this kind of thing will not happen again. You can go in and see your father now…I'm sure you've wanted to check on him ever since you got here, so I won't keep you any longer…"

He said all this very monotonously…stiffly…no expression on his face…no smile…

Once the speech (That's what it felt like…a 'rehearsed' speech…) was over, and before I could even reply, he walked towards Billy and said, "Come on Dad. Let's get you home. It's getting really late. I'm sure Charlie won't mind if you rest for a while. And anyway, Renee and Bella will be with him now. So you can take a break…What say, huh? We can come back tomorrow, ok?"

Billy looked at him and nodded thoughtfully. Jake told hold of Billy's wheelchair and started walking towards the elevator. Just before entering, he called out, "Seth, Embry…you guys stay here. Keep an eye on things. Let me know if there's any change in Charlie's condition, ok?"

And then he was gone…just like that…no smile…no wave…no frown…not even a SINGLE glance in my direction…just…Nothing!

'_Well there you go Bella…you're done with your first meeting with Jake…isn't that a relief? Aren't you glad that there was no confrontation? No anger…no yelling…just 'nothing'…like you'd always feared' _

And in that moment, I had to face the fact that even though this was the outcome I had always 'dreaded', my heart had secretly 'wished' for a totally different outcome to this meeting…an outcome that involved relief, hugs, tears and smiles…

**A/N :- So guys…this is it. The B/J meeting that you've all been waiting for…I really hope this is worth the wait…next chapter…JPOV again…YIPEE! Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank my brand new Beta –Cheryl, for her input and help in writing this chapter…I couldn't have done this without her help…Thanks Cheryl! Oh and once again…PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!! THANKS… **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

JPOV

'_She's alive…She's here…She's ALIVE…SHE'S HERE…'_

The night had long faded away and the hazy, early morning light was filtering down through the thick canopy of trees….

The forest was a green blur around me as I ran…as fast as I possibly could…trying to stretch myself…beyond all limits, beyond endurance, beyond the point of exhaustion…hoping to make some sense of the events of the last few hours…

I had no idea where I was going…or how long I had been running. All I was aware of was the soft thud of my paws against the moist earth, the wet drizzle of the rain all around me and the almost eerie silence of the forest…broken only by the pounding of my heart and the incessant buzz of my own thoughts.

'_She's HERE…'_

Despite my best efforts to quiet down the endless litany inside my head, I didn't seem to be having much success. It seemed like no matter how hard or how fast I ran, I couldn't outrun my thoughts…or my memories. No matter how hard or how fast I ran…I couldn't outrun HER!

'_I don't know why you thought it'd work TODAY when it hasn't really worked for you so far…Tell me…how many times, in the last six years have you tried to forget her…and FAILED? Don't you know by now that NOTHING can keep thoughts of her away?? I don't really get why you still insist on trying to accomplish the impossible!'_

'_Well…haven't you ever heard the phrase…Impossible just means I'm possible?'_

'_WHATEVER Dude…Me thinks you should just give in gracefully…'_

I continued running…grateful that for once my friends, my pack was being understanding enough to leave me alone right now… to let me have my space for the time being. Having them here…at this moment…in my head, would have made this situation a thousand times worse than it already is!

'_Wait a minute…What the hell am I talking about? My friends…Understanding?!? Not a chance in hell!!'_

For all their good qualities, when it came to such issues, my friends usually had the emotional maturity of a two year old!! I think I can safely bet that I have Leah to thank for my current privacy. She is the only one in the whole group who is mature and sensitive enough to grasp my current mental state…as well as the strength to ensure total obedience of her wishes!

'_Oh my God…SHE'S ALIVE!!! AND she's human…not a leech…not a bloodsucker!!' _

'_Yes, yes…she's ALIVE! Let's all celebrate…Hip Hip Hooray!! There!! Now…Get a freaking grip you FREAKING IDIOT!'_

Oh God…I was seriously losing it… Talking to myself… Calling myself an idiot… Yup! Those are some pretty good signs of lunacy…

'_Thank God Quil and Embry aren't around to witness this....or they'd have me institutionalized immediately!'_

I scoffed at myself in disgust…

'_Come on…admit it…this plan SUCKS!! It wasn't even an extraordinarily brilliant plan to begin with! Running till you stopped thinking?!? HA!! As if THAT was ever gonna work…' _

'_Yeah well, you're one to talk!! It's not like YOU had a better plan in any case… At least MY plan got us away from the questioning looks…the sympathy…the long endless discussions of how, what, when and where!' _

'_Temporarily! You know you're not going to escape any of that forever, right? All you've managed to do is put off the inevitable!'_

'_All right fine… I'll admit it… This plan sucks!'_

'_Ha ha… I knew it! I knew it! You finally admitted that I'm right!! Yes!! I'm smarter than you are…I knew before YOU that this plan sucked…'_

'_What the FUCK are you going on about?!? You 'ARE' me, you moron!! So stop gloating...to yourself…about your own smartness!! In fact, just shut up completely! Cos arguing with your inner self is DEFINITELY a sign of insanity!'_

GREAT!!! This was just freaking great!! I was having conversations with my own FREAKING self!!

How in the WORLD did I manage to get myself into this situation? WHY did I let her have so much power over me?? HOW could I let her influence my life in such a way even now?!?

Million dollar questions…all of them… What I wouldn't do to have the answers to them… But unfortunately, my behavior was difficult to explain…even to myself! Most of the others thought of it as illogical and irrational…and maybe they weren't too off the mark…

After all, there was no LOGICAL reason in the world to put myself through THIS…I was a smart, successful, confident individual… I had a lot going for me – a loving family, an amazing group of friends, a highly successful business and a God given ability that helped me to protect 'the innocent' elements of this world from danger…from evil. Hell…I'm sure it's every teenager's dream to be a superhero… but that's all they CAN do…dream…while I actually get to BE one! In short, I have a lot in life to be proud of…to be grateful for.

'_I AM proud…and grateful…and HAPPY!'_

'_At least, I thought I had been…until the moment that I saw her again. That's when I realized how empty my life really is…'_

And I HATE the fact that she STILL has the power to take it all away…Everything I've worked so hard for…struggled so hard to achieve…gone…forgotten…meaningless…in a single instant!

Something about her…I don't know what it is…just makes me regress back to the rejected, broken hearted, lost 17 year old boy that I had been the last time I had seen her!

The boy who had loved her… completely, passionately, unconditionally…but lost her just the same…

The boy who had tried desperately to make her love him back…unsuccessfully…

The same pathetic boy, who had fought for her every breath, her every heartbeat with everything that he was…everything that he had… only to fail…time and again…

And even though I had spent the last six years convincing myself that I was over it…over her, all it had taken was ONE look from HER…ONE glance at HER…for my carefully constructed lie to crumble down all around me…to convert me into THIS quivering, quaking mass of insecurity and lunacy!!

Unfortunately for me…despite all that she had done…that she STILL continued to do…I just couldn't make myself hate HER!

'_Brilliant!! Just FUCKING brilliant!!!'_

I suddenly realized that the intensity of rain had increased to such an extent that it was now coming down in sheets all around me. As the day had progressed, instead of becoming brighter, it had gotten gloomier. The sun had been completely obliterated behind dark, angry clouds creating an illusion of twilight. It almost felt like nature was taking its cue from me...reflecting my state of mind.

I was beginning to feel the effects of constantly being on the run for the last…five…six hours. Sweat was pouring off my flanks and mingling with the rain…running in rivulets down my body. My breath was coming out in pants and my heart was beating so hard that it felt like it would explode. I could feel my muscles quivering from the exertion I had put myself to…which was a first since I had phased and I knew that I had never pushed myself so far beyond my limit before.

And what had I accomplished by putting myself through this torture? NOTHING!!!

Even now…when I was so far past exhaustion that my legs just wanted to give out on me… I had no control over my thoughts or my feelings. Even now…I couldn't stop thinking of her …In fact…she was ALL I could think of right now…

'_HA! I'm sorry to say this…but I TOLD YOU SO!!'_

'_Oh God…Don't you start with me again…I have enough problems to deal with as it is without having to deal with my psychotic, delusional, egotistical alter ego as well…'_

'_Alright, alright…Don't work yourself up in a snit…I'll shut up…for now…'_

Defying all my efforts to the contrary, my brain refused to be shut down. It insisted on playing each and every moment of my unexpected meeting with Bella in an endless loop AND with 3-D images and surround sound. No matter how hard I tried to avoid them, my thoughts kept going back to last night and the moment that I had laid eyes on Bella standing in the hallway…surrounded by Quil and Leah on one side and Alice and Jasper on the other…

'_Typical!!'_

I sighed…finally recognizing the futility of my efforts. Here I was…on the verge of complete physical exhaustion while my stupid brain was still hell-bent on reliving all the events that led to this early morning marathon. And I HAD to acknowledge that I couldn't fight it anymore, couldn't fight the memories… maybe because I didn't really 'want' to or maybe because she was just that memorable…whatever…but I just couldn't go on ignoring 'HER' any longer…

I think, that 'One' moment in the hospital will forever be etched in my memory – no matter how long I live…the moment that I stepped out through the elevator doors…and saw her, sensed her for the first time...in such a long time…the moment that I realized that I could hear her 'heartbeats'…the moment I could distinguish 'her' fragrance from the overwhelming odor of the leeches…

I will NEVER be able to forget how I felt in that exact moment – the overwhelming surprise followed by the indescribable, limitless joy that almost brought me to my knees…

'_Thank you God…thank you for this miracle!! Thank you for keeping her safe! Thank you for keeping her alive!!'_

The shock…the disbelief…the confusion…

'_HOW is this possible?? How can she still be ALIVE? She's been married to the leech for SIX years…how in the world is it possible that she's STILL human?? Am I hallucinating?? Am I just seeing things the way I want them to be? Or is this just a dream?!? God…PLEASE don't let it be a dream…PLEASE let this be real…PLEASE let her really be alive…PLEASE…'_

I will always, ALWAYS remember the stutter that I felt in my heart…that ONE moment of complete breathlessness…when all I had wanted to do was run to her, take her in my arms and hold on tight…

And then, thankfully before I went ahead and actually acted on that impulse, my brain had started functioning again – pointing out the obvious flaws in my plan. Like the fact that she had not felt the need to communicate for SIX YEARS and the fact that even though she knew how I felt about it…how much it had meant to me… she had never bothered to tell me that she did not go ahead with her transformation…for six long years!!

'_She let you go on thinking that she was dead…for SIX FREAKING years!! She let you go on believing that she was a FUCKING bloodsucker!! She let you go on mourning her death…mourning her loss…when she could have so easily rectified the situation, saved you a lot of pain and heartache, with just one phone call!' _

I mean…really…how long does it take to pick up a phone and call a person, huh? Two minutes…five… maybe ten…at the most!! Surely she could have spared that much time…if only to reassure an old friend and put his mind at ease…surely she hadn't been THAT busy…

The thought that maybe she hadn't called me because she'd forgotten all about me in her wedded bliss was unbearable; the fact that maybe she HAD remembered but hadn't really considered me important enough to be worth the effort…even worse!

And then, in that moment…the pain I was feeling had suddenly turned to fury!!! Blinding fury… At HER…at MYSELF…at the SITUATION…

'_How could she not even call!?! Not once…not for so long?? And here you'd thought that you were her best friend! Yeah right! Obviously you were mistaken! If she really had considered you her best friend, she would never have been able to dismiss you out of her life so easily! Come on, face it…you were never more than a convenient shoulder for her to cry on while her 'darling Eddie' was gone…'_

It was then that I'd realized how much of an idiot I'd been! Thinking that I was important to her…following her around like a lovesick puppy…risking my life to save hers…declaring my undying love for her…when all the while she had most likely been laughing her ass off at 'pathetic, lil, ole me' behind my back!!

And the worst part of it was that even after this realization I still hadn't been able to just stand by and watch Leah and Quil tear Bella apart…In spite of the fact that Leah and Quil had not said anything to her that hadn't completely mirrored my own thoughts!!

So what had I done?? I had charged to her defense like a knight on a white horse…yelled at Leah and Quil like they were misbehaving toddlers…told them that their behavior was inexcusable and sent them home!! Oh yeah…and how could I forget… I had APOLOGIZED to her on their behalf!!

But I hadn't been able to look her in the eye…not once during the entire interaction had I looked into her eyes…and not because I'd hated her or wanted to avoid her…but because I'd been too scared to!! I don't know what I would've done if I HAD looked at her… gotten down on my knees and begged most probably…

'_God you're soooo PATHETIC!! And gullible…especially when it comes to Bella…The moment she becomes distraught, you run to her aid like the lead character in all of those cheesy, sappy chick-flicks that you tease Leah about liking so much! When are you going to stop defending her…trying to impress her?!? Pfft!!! Are you ever going to grow up and learn that no matter what you do, you're NEVER going to be good enough for her?? Also…have you forgotten the fact that she's MARRIED… that she doesn't need you to DEFEND her anymore?? She has her HUSBAND for that…as well as the other leeches that she loves so much…Bottom line? Nothing's changed… so don't go getting any ideas, you moron!'_

Finally the stress of the situation had become completely unbearable and I'd felt my tenuous control on my emotions slipping…So… even though I hated myself for doing it, I'd chosen the cowardly way out and run away!!

The moment the elevator door closed around us, my trembling legs had just given out and I'd slowly slid down the walls till I was sitting on the elevator floor with my head between my knees. Billy…who had never before seen me like this…had naturally become worried and I'd had to pull myself together to assure him that I was alright. He'd been far from convinced but fortunately for me, the hospital had been quite crowded and that had prevented him from bombarding me with all his doubts and anxieties.

As soon as we'd stepped out into the parking lot, I'd seen Leah and Quil, who seemed to have stuck around despite my insistence. They had both been pacing around…looking obviously worried. The moment I stepped out of the hospital doors with Billy, they'd both been visibly relieved.

The moment they'd began walking towards me with grim smiles on their faces, I'd known I was in deep trouble. I hadn't been worried that they'd be angry about the 'punishment' I'd given them…no…I knew that I'd be facing something that was much worse than a simple 'Sorry I yelled at you' discussion…I knew that I'd have to spend an eternity dissecting and expressing my feelings…After all…Leah was BIG on 'communication'…

'_Why couldn't they just have gone home quietly?? Why couldn't they ever just follow instructions without question?'_

'_You're kidding, right? Quil…Leah…follow instructions blindly? Without question? I mean…REALLY…do you not KNOW your friends?? Be glad that you didn't 'order' them or else you might have had a full-fledged rebellion on your hands!! Of course they wouldn't go away and abandon you at a time when you might need them…They stuck around because they were worried about you and they wanted to find out how you were doing…if you were alright…'_

'_UGGGHHH…yeah, you're right…I should have expected this…But I really, really don't need this right now. I don't want to talk about any of it!! In fact I just want to be alone…'_

'_You wish…'_

In fact I'd been so desperate to avoid a protracted discussion on the finer points of a meeting that I'd rather forget about, that I had pretended ignorance of their motives in staying behind and quickly thrust Billy's wheelchair towards Quil.

"I'm glad that you guys are still here. Could you do me a huge favor and take Billy home? I've just remembered a few things that I have to take care of right away. Thanks you guys…I owe you one."

I hadn't even waited around long enough to give either of them a chance to respond. Instead, I'd tossed them my car keys and shirt before hurriedly making my way towards the edge of the forest. Just before I'd phased I had heard Leah calling out my name but I hadn't waited around to find out what she had to say. Thankfully they had realized that I needed to be alone and neither of them had followed me….

That impromptu dash…undertaken to escape a detailed discussion about 'icky, girly feelings' had resulted into what had turned out to be the longest workout of my life so far…

The surreal silence around me was shattered by the sound of a twig snapping. My supernatural 'hearing' made it sound as loud as a gun being fired which effectively accomplished the task of yanking me out of my bitter reflections of 'the encounter' and bringing me crashing down to reality!

With my senses tuned into my surroundings, I became conscious of the familiar, overwhelmingly sweet odor that indicated a leeches' presence in the vicinity. I immediately went from a relaxed state into a fully alert state.

I felt a welcome surge of adrenaline…my body readying itself for attack. My hackles rose sharply and my haunches stiffened…ready to spring on the intruder…

Through the adrenaline induced haze filling my mind, I became aware that the leech was being unusually noisy. Instead of creeping around silently, like they normally do, this leech was stomping on leaves, breaking twigs, making a general ruckus…which was very odd behavior for a bloodsucker. It almost felt like the leech WANTED me to be aware of its presence…

'Hmmm…very strange…'

I decided to adopt the wait and watch approach instead of directly pouncing. Usually I'd not have been so patient but with certain 'friendly leeches' back in the area, one has to be a little cautious. No sense in causing unnecessary tension…

As soon as the 'leech' stepped into view, it was clear that I'd been correct about my assumptions on the loudness it's approach….

"Hello Jacob…"

'_Shit! What the hell does he want now??'_

I growled low in my throat as a warning for the leech to stay put before taking the cover of some trees to phase back. The moment I was dressed, I hurried back into the clearing to find out what was going on.

"Jasper…This is a rather unexpected…should I say it… Would I be hurting your feelings, I wonder…Ummm…nope…you don't HAVE any feelings…so, I'm gonna go ahead and say it… Displeasure!! What are you doing here and at this time of the day? Shouldn't you be nailed shut in your coffin or something? I mean, if the sun burnt you up to ashes, we'd find ourselves out of a job!! And then life would be pretty damn dull!!"

"Very funny mongrel…very amusing… I don't remember you having a sense of humor before… Hmmm…looks like the pup has done some growing up…"

I chose to ignore his sarcasm, continuing my previous train of thought, "Oh yeah, and I know you've been gone for six years but don't go forgetting about the treaty lines. Next time you decide to take a daylight stroll, stick to your side of the treaty line, alright?"

"Are you sure I'm on your side? Take a good look around you. It's you who's actually encroaching on our side…"

'_WHAT?!? How the hell did that happen? How come I didn't even realize that I was entering their territory?'_

"Don't worry about it. I'm willing to let it slide if you are…I'm sure after everything we've been through together, we can ignore something as trivial as boundaries…at least for the time being…don't you think?"

'_SHIT! How could I have been so stupid!?! This was such an irresponsible mistake...completely unforgivable! Crap, Leah and Sam are going to kick my butt!! And I deserve every one of those kicks…and more for being so careless!!! God I was sooooo screwed!! Of course I didn't want to make any compromises with ANY of the leeches…but what choice did I have now? I'd kinda boxed myself into the situation…with my own stupidity!! Well…this'd teach me to be more vigilant and less distracted in the future I guess…'_

"Yeah…Whatever you say bloodsucker", I grumbled unwillingly.

"I see you're as gracious as usual mongrel! Nice to know some things don't change…no matter how much time passes" Jasper responded.

"Oh this is just the perfect conclusion to an already perfect day!! I'm being given lessons on manners… by a leech, no less!! Will wonders never cease? Anyways, not that I don't appreciate the effort…but I'm kinda in a hurry here… SO, unless you had something important to discuss, I'd best be heading back."

"Impatient, always impatient… I wonder why I expected anything different. I remember you always wanting things to be done YESYERDAY! Growing up has nothing to do with developing patience I see…"

And then he started muttering to himself…knowing full well that I could hear his every word! "I don't know what Alice thinks is going to get accomplished by this 'so-called' meeting but it better be worth it!! Otherwise she's gonna owe me a whole lot, for putting me through this!! God the things I do for that woman…"

I bristled at the leeches' condescending tone.

"Oh yeah?? If talking to me is such an effort, why do you even bother? Don't worry…if the little one asks, I'll tell her we spoke, alright?"

"Don't I wish it were that simple? If you'd known Alice as well as I know her, then you wouldn't even bother making such a suggestion! Unfortunately neither of us is getting out of this situation so easily" the leech sighed.

"Man… don't tell me…she's got you on a leash? Or are you actually SCARED of that little pixie?!?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well…yes", Jasper admitted with a completely unexpected smile on his face. "I'm not afraid to say that she scares the living daylights out of me! And before you say it, that doesn't make me a coward, it just makes me smart! After all, doesn't it take a smart man to admit that women are dangerous...wives especially so? And by admitting my fear and being careful around Alice, I'm avoiding unnecessary exposure to danger, wouldn't you say?"

I couldn't help chuckling at the way he worded that.

"Man…I cannot believe this… don't tell me you're WHIPPED!?!" I asked incredulously.

"Ummm…I wouldn't call it 'whipped' exactly… that's a very unfair description… I'd really prefer being called cautious…you know…"

"Oh yeah….TOTALLY Whipped!!" The leech was scowling at me, which caused my grin to grow even wider.

'_Ewww…now you're laughing at a joke made by a LEECH!?! Teasing him?? GROSS!!! What is WRONG with you?? That proves it…You're definitely losing your mind…no doubt about it! Maybe YOU should enroll 'yourself' in an insane asylum before things get too out of hand!'_

"Alright… enough fooling around…Didn't the pixie give you some sort of message to convey to me or something? Let's get on with it then…I don't have all day you know!" I prompted the leech.

"Actually…it's not really a message and I'm not here only because she insisted. In the spirit of honesty I should probably confess that I was going to seek you out myself without any urging on her behalf. The message part only came into the picture when she found out about my intentions."

"Whoa…wait a minute. Let me get this straight. YOU wanted to talk to ME?? Well now…that's a first. If I remember correctly, you're not much of a conversationalist. So go on…I'm all ears…" I adopted a lazy pose and gave him my usual 'I don't give a shit' grin, hoping to irritate him some more…

"Alright…I'm actually here to talk to you about last night…or this morning…however you choose to look at it."

My grin evaporated in an instant. My mouth tightened in a straight line and my casual body posture became rigid.

"Oh no…no way…NO 'FUCKING'WAY!! You actually thought that I was gonna discuss that with you? Are you out of your mind?!? And what gave you the idea that I even want to talk about any of it, huh?" Suddenly I had a crazy thought. "Wait a minute…Did Bella send you? She did, didn't she? She doesn't have the guts to face me herself so she sends you as her little messenger boy, am I right? What…are you supposed to be a mediator or something?? TELL ME…DAMMIT!!"

My heart was thumping painfully in my chest. And even though I despised myself for it, I couldn't help feeling a tiny ray of hope…

'_Maybe she does care…just a little bit....maybe she isn't completely heartless…maybe she DID miss me…'_

"No…I'm not here on Bella's behalf. In fact she doesn't even know I'm here."

As soon as I heard the words, the hope that had blossomed in my heart died a slow, painful death. My shoulders slumped in defeat.

'_Oh you foolish, FOOLISH boy, what else did you expect? Why would Bella send him here? She doesn't care about you, remember? Don't you have enough proof that you mean absolutely nothing to her? When are you gonna stop being so gullible and accept the reality of the situation?'_

Then, before I could say anything else, the weirdest thing happened. I suddenly went from feeling desolate and morose to feeling almost…upbeat. What the FUCK? I was completely bewildered.

Until it clicked! The leech…he could sense and manipulate emotions…

I was livid!!

"STOP FUCKING with MY emotions!!"

Abruptly, almost like a switch had been turned off, the 'happy' feelings went away.

"Uh…Sorry. I didn't actually mean to do that. It's just that I can sense ALL your emotions. And sometimes when people are feeling a whole lot of things at the same time, it can be a little overwhelming if you know what I mean. Like last night…I felt everything that you went through…and let me tell you…it was intense! I can't believe you humans can actually feel so MANY things at the same time!! Whew! Doesn't it get exhausting?? I mean I'm not even human…and even I was exhausted!! That's actually the reason I wanted to talk to you. I figured you might need my help…so to speak…"

I was stunned…flabbergasted… The leech was actually…what…CONCERNED…WORRIED about me? He'd sought me out to make me feel better?? I had no idea how to respond. I assume I must've done a fair bit of a goldfish impression with my mouth gaping open comically, because the leech couldn't seem to control the grin on his face.

"Ummm…Thank you…I guess. It was very nice of you to be concerned about my well being. But it wasn't really necessary. As you can see…I'm fine. Really…no problems now… I've dealt with it and moved on. Trust me. I'm fine…"

I realized that I was rambling and suddenly shut up. The leech had a disbelieving expression on his face. Maybe I hadn't been convincing enough.

"Alright fine…I'll admit that last night was a bit of a shock. But seriously, I'm much better now. I gave it a lot of thought and now I'm over it. I mean, I don't have any right to be upset that Bella didn't tell me she's alive…it's not like she was under any obligation to do so. And yes, I am a little disappointed that she didn't keep any contact with me…"

I trailed off; realizing that I was revealing way too much AND I wasn't even being very convincing! The leech had a tolerant look on his face and I got the feeling that he was waiting patiently for me to shut up.

I was right.

"Are you done with your explanations, mongrel? Good. Now listen to me and listen well. The first thing I think you need to work on is learn how to stop jumping to conclusions. You call yourself her best friend, right? Then how the hell is it that you can so easily believe all that bullshit you just spouted about her? Don't you know her better than that? Don't you know as yet that Bella doesn't have a single, mean bone in her body? And as far as that nonsense about not considering you close enough goes, that's just what it is. Nonsense!

Hell pup, if she didn't care about you, she wouldn't have spent the last few hours in Alice's arms, bawling her eyes out because of the way you ignored her! She wouldn't have believed – as she does right now – that she deserves the crappy way you've treated her and much more! She wouldn't have felt so guilty about coming back here and upsetting you!"

'_Bella was crying?!?'_

'_Yeah…SO…what if she was? It's no longer your concern…she's moved on…a long time ago! Don't you think it's high time you did too??'_

"Also, you need to know that you're completely mistaken in your belief that Bella didn't call you because she forgot about you. On the contrary…I know that she didn't forget you even for an instant. She thought of calling you many times and the only reason that she didn't was because she was afraid of your reaction. She was scared of being ridiculed or worse, rejected.

She's no longer the Bella you remember Jacob. She's changed in so many ways. She's had to go through a lot…deal with a lot at a very young age.

And that brings me to Alice's message…and mine as well. Listen carefully mongrel because I'm only going to say this once. Bella's family...she's like a sister to me AND she's also my wife's best friend! She's very important to both of us. And if someone hurts her, I tend to take it very personally…

You hurt her today with your behavior…very much. I'll give you a free pass today because I know that you were hurting too. You were in shock. But this is the only time you'll get away with it so easily, understood? Next time…I'll whoop your sorry ass till you're begging for mercy!!

Now I know that what goes on between the two of you is nobody's business but your own so I'm gonna try to stay out of your way as far as possible and get Alice to stay away as well. But you better not hurt her again, you hear? Because if you do, neither you nor the rest of your 'litter' will get away unscathed! Do I make myself clear?!?"

The only thing I was capable of doing at that moment was listening dumbly to everything the leech was saying. I was trying to assimilate all the information that was being bombarded on me. A lot of the things the leech had pointed out had made a weird sense…in a screwed up kind of way.

Dammit…maybe I had jumped to conclusions…maybe I HAD been unfair… What kind of a person condemns a friend without even waiting for an explanation? It was the least I could do, right?

'_STILL a sucker, I see…'_

'_NO…Not THIS time!'_

"Alright…I'm willing to admit that I MIGHT have been a little harsh. But can you really blame me?!? Hell, what would you have done if you were in my place? On her wedding day, she told me she'd come and visit me as soon as she got back from her honeymoon!! So, like an idiot, I waited for her…but she never turned up. And then you guys left too. What was I to think? Naturally, I assumed the worst! I fucking mourned her!!

Can you even fathom how much of a shock this has been? Because NOW, suddenly, I realize that it was totally unnecessary…that she's been ALIVE…all along!! And all this while…I didn't even know! How do you think that feels, huh?

How do you think I felt when I came across her yesterday? God, I haven't seen her or heard from her in SIX years… SIX GODDAMN YEARS!!! How would you have felt if this was Alice we were talking about??

I'll tell you how it feels…it feels like someone FUCKING ripped my heart out and FUCKING stomped on it…that's how it feels!! But I guess you won't be able to understand that…or even relate to it! That being the case, don't lecture me, alright?? You have no FUCKING right… NONE at all…

I understand that you think that my behavior was uncalled for, but I don't think I was out of line. In fact I think I had plenty of justification! And even though I totally get where you're coming from, I can't make you any promises…especially not at this point of time. Currently, I feel as if my brain is on the verge of short-circuiting!! This is HUGE, man!! I need SOME time to deal with it…come to terms with it. I can't forgive her THAT easily. Not this time…

All I can promise you right now that I'll give it some thought and let you know, alright? AND I'll keep an open mind! Beyond that…I don't really know…" I sighed; suddenly feeling very drained….physically as well as mentally.

"Well…I can't say that I'm happy about it, but it looks like I don't have much of a choice in the matter. So I'll live with it, I guess…"

"Good! Please just leave me alone for some time, okay? I'll be in touch with you as soon as I've sorted out this whole mess! Tell Bella… No…never mind…"

'_Oh my God!! I can't believe you did that!! WOW!! Good for you!! I didn't even know you had it in you!! I have to say I'm impressed dude!!'_

'_See…I'm not as bad as you made me out to be… there's hope for me after all, huh?'_

I turned around to leave when suddenly, something that the leech had said previously sunk in…

'_Don't ask…don't ask…just walk away…'_

"Hey, wait a minute…What do you mean, she's been through a lot?? Did something happen? What the hell did your 'Brother' do?? Don't tell me he hurt her!! Is he really THAT stupid?!? I'll KILL him if he did, I swear!!" I threatened menacingly.

'_Uh Oh! You just HAD to ask, didn't you?? You just COULDN'T leave it alone, could you?? And you were doing SO well… you ALMOST had it…DAMN!'_

The leech sighed. "Listen…it's not my story to tell alright? Ask her someday…I'm sure she'll tell you. But just trust me when I say that she's one hell of a remarkable lady who deserves all of your respect. She has tremendous courage and bravery. Just give her a chance Jacob Black…to make things right. I'm sure you'll understand once you know the whole story. You fought for her 'humanity' so hard…and even though you may have lost the battle, you won the war. Surely you're not going to give up now, are you?"

**A/N: - WHEW!! Am finally done!!! What a relief!! This chapter was really difficult for me to write…I was trying to imagine what Jake might have gone through in case such a scenario really occurred… and ended up overanalyzing pretty much everything!! :-P Hope I didn't screw it up completely!! The only way I'll know for sure is if you guys share your opinions!! Yes…you guessed it…I AM shamelessly campaigning for reviews! But I don't care…I just desperately want to know what you think!! I'm not getting paid to do this, you know…and your reviews are the ONLY compensation I'm getting out of it! You wouldn't be cruel enough to deny me even that, would you? (Insert puppy dog expression…) hehe... Apparently I AM shameless… Anyway, REVIEW people…REVIEW!!! PLEASE??**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

BPOV

The first thing I noticed, as soon as I opened my eyes, was that I'd somehow ended up in the woods behind Charlie's house without any recollection of having gotten there.

The night was shrouded in darkness as far as the eye could see. Not a single ray of moonlight could penetrate the thick overhanging canopy and this, combined with the billowing fog, was making the visibility even worse. The trees made ominous shadows on the moss covered forest floor… the silence around me was oppressive and terrifying in its completeness.

'_Don't panic…don't panic…Come on…think!'_

'_How the hell did I get here? Why can't I remember walking into the forest? Weird…the last thing I do remember is coming home from the hospital, exhausted, and collapsing on the bed. How did that end up with me stumbling around in the forest?!?'_

'_Oh heavens, the stupidity…Who the hell cares how you got here, you idiot?! Don't you know how dangerous this is?? This is Forks for heaven's sake!! Vampires…Werewolves…Supernatural creatures…Sound familiar? Any of that ring any bells?? I can't believe you're dumb enough to just roam around this god forsaken place…in the middle of the night no less! Now quit dawdling and just get the hell out of here…fast!!' _

Suddenly, uncomfortably aware of the danger I'd put myself in, I turned around and frantically looked for the trail which I knew would lead me out of the forest directly to Charlie's house. But I couldn't find any trace of it.

Thankfully I saw a pinpoint of light in the distance…strong enough to penetrate the fog and the darkness…and started running towards it praying that I was going in the right direction...

But to my horror, instead of getting closer, the light kept moving further and further away. No matter how fast I ran, I just wasn't fast enough! It almost felt like I was trying to run through water…and was just as frustrating and tiring. The sound of my footsteps and my gasping breaths was deafening in the previous stillness, leading to an enhanced sense of urgency.

'_I HAVE to get out of here…Oh God…get me out of here!'_

Finally I just couldn't go any further. I was horribly out of breath and there was now a very painful stitch in my side. I collapsed against a tree for a much needed respite, gulping in deep breaths of air.

I looked around me, trying to get a sense of where I was when I came to the realization that I had accidently stumbled into a clearing of some sort…a very familiar clearing! With a sense of shock and disbelief, I realized that I had stumbled into Edward's meadow!!

'_Wait a minute…How did I end up here?? I couldn't have run such a long distance. I must be missing something. What the hell is going on here?'_

Far from being comforting, the meadow…so beautiful and entrancing during the day time…was downright ominous at night.

Some voice at the back of my mind…a sixth sense perhaps…was warning me that I had to get away from this place…that I was in terrible danger…

My sense of preservation…of survival…kicked up a notch and I started running again…away from the meadow.

'_Wait a minute…didn't I just pass that tree over there?'_

The moment I stopped running, I discovered that I was in the exact some spot that I had been in a while ago…in the meadow!!

'_Shit!! What's happening to me? Am I running around in circles? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?'_

I felt like I'd been running endlessly…with no noticeable progress. This time I couldn't get a hold of my emotions and despair overwhelmed me. Tears ran down my cheeks… tears born out of frustration and fear.

'_Oh God…I was NEVER going to get out of here, was I? I was stuck here…maybe forever…'_

Feeling helpless and desperate, I started screaming for help…hoping that Alice, Jasper or someone from the pack would hear me and come to my rescue.

"HELP!! Somebody, help me!!"

As soon as I stopped, I heard some movement in the distance and was overjoyed. Someone had heard me! They'd find me and then I'd be safe!

"Over here!!" I kept shouting in the hopes of helping them to pinpoint my location faster.

One moment I was all alone in the forest and the next, two figures stepped out of the shadows of the trees into the clearing.

Two figures with pale skin… their glowing, red eyes, chilling me to the bone…

'_HOLY CRAP!!'_

My worst nightmare had come to life and was standing right in front of my eyes in the forms of James and Victoria!!

'_But wait a minute…It couldn't be them, could it? They were both dead…Killed by Edward…a long time ago. How in hell is this possible? Am I losing my mind?? Oh God…'_

They were both much more menacing than I remembered…their eerie, preternatural grace sending shivers down my spine. They were terrifying… deadly… remorseless…and I was doomed!

'_This is it. No hope of a miraculous rescue this time around. No chance of any mercy. I'm going to die…painfully.'_

I was trembling from head to toe...frozen to the spot in terror.

"Well well well…Look what we have here, love", James addressed Victoria, gleefully rubbing his hands together…his words, laden with malice. "Didn't I promise you a feast? Well, this is it! What more could you ask for than our dear, lovely Miss Swan? Or should I say Mrs. Cullen?"

Victoria had an unholy smile on her face but her eyes were horrifyingly empty of expression…and filled with hunger.

"Darling, can I please have the first bite? I am oh so thirsty! All that running has tired me out. I am in desperate need of refreshment."

"All in good time, honey. You're too impatient! Haven't I always told you that the right seasoning is vitally important to make the food more appetizing? Trust me; good things come to those who wait. You need to give some time for our presence to sink in…for her fear to reach its peak… "

I shuddered. It was almost like they were discussing the menu at an exclusive restaurant…deciding what to order. The really terrifying part was that…here… 'I' was the only dish on offer!!

My entire life was flashing before my eyes…all the mistakes I had made…all the regrets…all the things that were now going to be left undone…

Like telling Charlie that I loved him…telling mom how much I appreciated her unconditional support … and most importantly telling Jake that I was sorry…

James walked up, behind me and held my neck in a vise like grip. He tilted my head to one side and carefully rearranged my hair, exposing my neck to his hungry gaze. He then ran his finger…gently, almost lovingly…down the side of my neck all the way to my hand…

"Lovely…so lovely…and all grown up. I'm so impressed. You've been haunting me for six years now… You're the only one who got away… I'm not used to being denied, you see…Your intoxicating scent, that delicious taste that still lingers on my tongue…Ummm…It wasn't enough…not nearly enough! I've been waiting for this opportunity for so long now. I'm going to savor each and every drop of your blood…"

He buried his nose near my pulse point and shuddered in ecstasy…

I whimpered in fear…

"Yes! You're afraid, aren't you? Don't bother denying it…I can almost 'taste' your fear…I WANT you to be afraid! I WANT you to think about how much it will hurt…how long it'll go on…how the last few moments of your life will feel like…Oh…you're gonna be so delicious!"

He actually licked my neck…a long, slow sweep of his tongue…and hummed low in his throat…His posture was taut…rigid…tense and there was a sick…disgusting look on his face. Almost as if…this…what he was doing to me…was turning him on…

'_Oh God…I'm going to be sick!!'_

"I wonder if your precious Edward told you that human emotion, especially fear enhances the taste of your blood."

'_I will not beg…I will NOT beg…Please God…give me the strength…the courage…to face death with dignity…'_

James looked at Victoria and spoke in a loving voice, almost as if he was a teacher, teaching his student a valuable lesson. "Did you know that the human body has the astonishing ability to regenerate and replenish large quantities of blood? As long as you ensure that the trauma to the human is not too great, you can enjoy a kill for a long amount of time…sometimes even weeks."

'_WEEKS?!? Dear Lord no…PLEASE!! Don't let the ordeal go on for weeks…I'm not strong enough for that. Please let me just die now…as soon as possible!'_

Victoria seemed unbearably excited by the prospect of being able to torture me for a long period of time…

"Yes!" She hissed. "That sounds so good…I want her to suffer…for a long, long time. I love the idea of her mate being able to see her suffering, hear her screams in my thoughts…he has to pay for what he did to you, my love…He has to pay for murdering you…"

I was snapped out of the trance I'd fallen under.

'_What the…?!? Did she just say 'murdered'…as in 'dead'? How can that be?? What the hell is going on here? How can someone who is dead be standing across from me, threatening to kill me?!? That's not possible…right? Am I really losing my mind here?'_

And then, in the blink of an eye, James had disappeared…almost like he'd been a figment of my imagination!

In his place…still holding me in the same inescapable grip… stood the most beautiful person that I'd ever laid eyes on…

I'd always thought of Edward as heartbreakingly beautiful…but this creature…even put Edward to shame…

He was tall…almost six feet tall…lean but well built…with thick, silver blond wavy hair and blue eyes the color of a stormy ocean… The only word I could think of that could be used to describe him was 'gorgeous'…

I was mesmerized…awed…

'_No no no…don't fall for it! Be careful…be very careful. There's something about him Bella…I don't know what it is…but, it's something in his eyes…it's just off! He's dangerous…more dangerous than anyone you've ever encountered…probably even more dangerous than the Volturi!'_

'_Oh shut up! What the hell do you know anyway? How could someone so beautiful be dangerous??'_

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was aware of the absurdity of my reaction…but I just couldn't seem to help it…I seemed to have no control over my actions or my thoughts for that matter…almost as if I'd been put under some kind of a spell by a master magician…

"I seem to have scared you and for that I am indescribably sorry. Please…forgive me. I didn't want to do this, but know that it was necessary…"

Even his voice was heavenly…hypnotic…arresting…and I felt like I could listen to it all day…

"Who…who are you?" I asked in a dreamy voice…

"Not now…not yet…you'll come to know me soon enough…"

'_I wonder what that means…oh who cares…he's so beautiful! I want to look at him forever…'_

"Today, I just wanted to see you…to get to know you a little better…"

I just knew that I was blushing…

"Why? Why me?"

"Oh, let's just say I was curious about you. I'd heard so much about you. I'd been told many times about how beautiful you are…how unique you are…how special… I just had to come see for myself."

"And what did you see?"

"That you're perfect! You didn't break…even when you thought you were going to die…you didn't beg for your life… You were truly magnificent! Even more so than I'd been led to believe…you passed your test with flying colors. I'm truly satisfied…"

"Is that a good thing? You being satisfied?"

'_What the fuck are you doing?!? Snap out of it you idiot!! He's doing this to you somehow… he's got you under some sort of a spell or a trance or something…he's making you see things that don't exist…'_

"Oh most definitely! You have no idea how pleased I am… I have to admit, before meeting you, I was a little skeptical…but you have put all my doubts to rest! Now I am totally convinced…You would most definitely be a most glorious addition to our kind. Edward Cullen is a misguided fool and a huge disappointment! His idiocy has deprived us of your presence for six years!! But no matter…six years is nothing…not when you have an eternity to look forward to! But now that I have found you at last, I find myself impatient for you to take your rightful place by my side…

Something about his words…the way he said them…was enough to penetrate the thick cocoon that his presence had created around my senses… A chill ran down my spine…

'_Oh God… Oh God…Oh God…What is wrong with me? Why am I behaving in such a way? What did he do to me?? What does he mean by that? Who is he??'_

"That idiotic ex-husband of yours almost ruined everything! I have to admit to being very upset with him when he let you go… all the millennia of waiting…down the drain! I wanted to crush him like a bug, I was so angry!! But now, finally, after a long wait, everything is back on track again… or it will be…just as soon as I have you."

He was so engrossed in speaking, that he let go of me and moved away, pacing around…earnestly explaining the situation to me....

As soon as he let go of me and moved away, the 'spell' he'd put on my senses shattered and fear…mind numbing and terrifying…seeped into my psyche…

'_Oh God…This is not good…this is so not good!! So why are you still standing here like a lamb to the slaughter?!? RUN, you idiot!!!'_

I didn't wait around for further instructions from my more sensible, more insightful self. I took advantage of his distraction and ran…stumbling along the way…praying desperately for some miracle.

"You can run…but you can't hide. Give in gracefully, darling. There's no escape from this. You belong to me! Together we're going to change the world! You'll see…the faster you accept this, the easier it'll be for both of us… It'll only hurt for some time…I promise!"

I knew it probably wouldn't make any difference to him but I felt it needed to be said. So I called out to him "If I wouldn't change for Edward who I loved, I'm certainly not going to change for YOU!! So leave me alone!!"

I could hear his laughter behind me, taunting me in its amusement…its indulgence…

He wasn't even making an effort to run, knowing that I had no chance in hell of outrunning him…making me feel horribly inadequate and helpless in comparison. I was hopelessly certain that I was only prolonging the inevitable…and making my suffering worse in the process. It felt like he was only toying with me, readying me for my eventual fate…

I turned around to try and see if he was closing in on me and before I knew it, I had hurtled headlong into an obstruction. I struggled desperately…trying to recover my balance and keep running but something was blocking all my efforts…something that felt like bands of steel…and the more I tried to escape, the tighter they became…

I was horrified to discover that the 'something' that was holding onto me, was a pair of arms… gripping me tightly…making escape impossible…

'_Oh God, he's caught me and now I'm going to face a fate worse than death...'_

I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to look into the eyes of my executioner. I wasn't brave enough for that…

'_I don't want this…I don't want to become a vampire… Maybe I can say something…do something…to enrage him so that he gives up on the idea of changing me and kills me right away!'_

Through the haze of my terror, I slowly became aware that the arms holding me were not cold like a vampire's but burning hot!

I opened my eyes quickly…eager to know the identity of my rescuer and felt a surge of relief so great that my legs gave out from under me…

Jacob tightened his arms around me…almost lifting me off the ground and into his arms…supporting my weight easily, effortlessly…

"Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?"

I shook my head mutely.

Once he was satisfied that I was unhurt, he continued with his interrogation. "What's going on here, Bells? What are you doing out here, this late at night? Don't you know by now how dangerous these woods are? When are you going to learn, huh?"

Even though his questions were a little harsh, his tone was soft and caring…just like the Jake of old…

And even after the terrible ordeal I had just been through, I could not help but realize how momentous this occasion was…the moment that I got 'MY' Jake back…

My heart jumped in joy. I threw my arms around him, hugging him close to me.

Unfortunately, my vocal cords still seemed to be frozen. Even though I wanted to answer his questions, no words came out of my mouth.

And then, before I could say anything, I became aware of a lot of movement all around us. I looked over his shoulder to see the rest of the pack standing behind him. Quil stepped forward in his human form and spoke to Jake, who was still holding me close.

"Jake, come on man. We should leave. We don't want to get involved in this. This is between her and the leech. It doesn't concern us in any way."

'_Didn't concern them??? Between me and the leech?? What was he talking about? Weren't they going to kill 'him'? Rescue me?!?'_

To my horror, I saw that Jake seemed to agree with Quil. His expression was a blend of reluctance and unwilling acceptance…His arms tightened around me…once…before he slowly set me down on my own feet.

"Jake?!?" I could hear the hysterical note in my voice…the absolute terror…

'_He can't be thinking of just leaving me here…he's not going to abandon me…not my Jake…'_

But even while I was trying to convince myself of this, he started to slowly back away from me.

I tried desperately to hold on to him…but he just kept eluding my grasp.

"Don't leave me here Jake…Please…"

"Quil is right Bells. This is between the two of you. I can't get involved in this again…the last time just about killed me. I can't go through this one more time…I just can't!"

"What are you talking about? You can't just leave me here!! Don't you see? He's going to kill me…I don't want to die…Oh please…please…" By this time I was sobbing uncontrollably, not even ashamed of sounding so desperate and needy.

"Come on Bella! You don't really expect me to buy that, do you?? This was YOUR choice! You chose…this life…this…this…THING! And now, you're begging me to SAVE you? After everything that you put me through?!? Sorry sweetheart…but it doesn't work that way! I'm done dancing to your tune! I'm out of this!! Now why don't you be a good girl and go back to your hubby dear, huh? He seems to be getting pretty desperate there…"

'_HUBBY dear?!? Did he mean Edward?!? Is he trying to imply that…that 'person'…that 'creature' is actually Edward?!? That's just not possible!! No way, no how…'_

But true enough, the moment I turned around to look, I saw him…Edward… standing some distance away from us…looking at Jake and me with a tortured expression on his face.

"What the hell are YOU doing here?" I spit out angrily.

"Bella!!" Edward sounded hurt and shocked. "What do you mean, what am I doing here? Where else would I be but with my wife?"

'_Okay, now I'm sure that something is definitely wrong! Why is Edward suddenly referring to me as his WIFE?' _

But before I could decipher the increasingly complicated situation, Edward said something that scrambled my thoughts completely.

"Come on darling. Let's go home. Everyone's waiting for us. Don't you remember?? Today's the day we've both been eagerly looking forward to for so long. Today is the day of your transformation! I can't wait for you to become one of us!"

"WHA…?!? Edward…NO! I don't want that. I don't want to be like you anymore. Don't you remember what happened? We both came to a decision on this topic… How could you forget that?"

"First of all, it wasn't 'our' decision, it was 'yours' and second, I haven't forgotten. I just don't believe you. Of course you want to be one of us. You've told me so…many times. In fact you've begged me to change you. It's alright sweetheart. You're just getting an attack of nerves. Once we get back home, everything will be just fine. You'll see…"

He stepped forward, extending his hand towards me. I backed away…leaning into Jake again.

Edward's eyes suddenly went black…his indulgent expression changing into one of anger.

"What nonsense is this, Bella? Stop this childishness at once. Now come on…we're going home! Right now!"

I turned towards Jake in desperation.

"Jake please…don't let him take me anywhere…I swear, I don't want to go with him…I don't want to become a vampire. Take me with you. Help me…save me…"

Jake smiled at me ruefully. "Oh honey, if only you'd said this six years ago…But now it's too late! These years have opened my eyes and I've come to the realization that you're just not worth it. You're not worth all the pain and the heartache…and you're definitely not worth saving anymore! You made your own bed, Bella…now I hope you're happy in it!"

"JAKE!! Nooooooooooo…."

I think it was the scream that broke the unending sequence of events and ultimately brought me back to reality…putting an end to my hellish nightmare.

Thankfully I was exactly where I was supposed to be…in bed at Charlie's house…though definitely a little worse for the wear…

The last vestiges of my dream still clung to me, the terror not fading away easily. I was soaked through with sweat and my heart was still pounding rapidly in my chest…my breath coming out in pants… the tears, showing no signs of abating anytime soon…

'_A dream…it was just a dream…no need to be upset…you're at home, in bed, safe and sound…'_

Except that… it had felt so real…

I sat up in bed and switched on the lights…trying to control the sobs wracking my body.

"What…What happened? Is everything all right? Are you hurt Bella? Why are you crying? Talk to me honey." Alice rushed into the room, followed closely by Jasper.

"Nothing's wrong, Alice. I just had a nightmare. I'm alright…just a little scared."

She sat down beside me on the bed and hugged me close… "Shhh, honey shhh… Don't cry…it's not real…you're safe…everything's alright…Don't worry… I'd never let anyone hurt you…"

I also felt Jasper's presence in my mind…soothing and gentle…calming my fears…My tears subsided…leaving me completely drained and limp.

"There there…All better now? Good. Now try and go back to sleep sweetie. I'll sit here with you and keep you company till you're asleep, okay? Don't worry, Jasper and I will guard you through the night…make sure you're safe. How does that sound, huh?"

I gave her a strained smile. "Thanks Alice…that's a great offer…but I don't think I can go back to sleep tonight. I'm gonna go, make some hot chocolate instead. And then, I'll stay up and keep 'you' guys some company, okay?"

"No… Don't get up. Stay right there. Jasper can make you the hot chocolate, right honey?"

"Yeah sure… I make a mean hot chocolate! Be right back."

The moment Jasper left the room, Alice glanced at me worriedly. "You sure you're okay, right? Is there anything else you need? How about you talk to me Bella…tell me about your dream? It might make you feel better."

As I recounted the horrifying nightmare, I started trembling…the terror of it too fresh…too acute for my comfort. Sometime in the middle of my narration, Jasper came back with a hot, steaming mug of hot chocolate.

By the time I was done, both Alice and Jasper had grave expressions on their faces. I was still too upset to catch the quick, worried glance they exchanged…

"All right…That's it! I'm going to go over there and knock some sense into that idiotic mutt, right this minute!! He's had enough time to brood! I'd hoped that he'd come to his senses on his own but enough is enough! He's coming here and having a conversation with you, even if I have to drag his sorry ass all the way from La Push to here! You coming Jazz?" I'd never seen Alice getting so furious before…

"Alice, no!" I was horrified, to say the least. "Things are screwed up enough as it is. No offense, but I don't think you going over there and dragging him here is going to make things any better. I just have to accept the fact that I've lost him."

I had gradually come to this realization over the last two days…days in which there had been no contact…no communication from him and was trying to be stoic and brave about it…even while my heart was crumbling away…piece by piece…inside me. I'd already made up my mind to leave Forks as soon as I could…and stop making Jake's life miserable. Now if only Charlie would hurry up and get better soon so that I'd be able to get out of this emotional hellhole quickly…

"Just let it go, please? There's no need to create further complications." I pleaded with Alice.

"Jesus, Bella! Have you even looked in the mirror in the last couple of days? I'm sorry to say this, but you look horrible! You hardly eat, unless I force you to…you hardly talk…and you've hardly slept!! You've been in this funk ever since you last saw him. What am I supposed to do, huh? Just sit around and watch you make yourself sick?!? Well, I'm sorry I can't do that! So if you insist on staying this way and not doing anything about it, then maybe I should stay away from you for a few days!" She walked away, irritation and frustration in every line of her body...

'_Way to go Bella…now you've even managed to piss off Alice…just what you needed at this point of time…Congratulations…You sure do know how to run off all your friends don't you?'_

I sighed…It's been 2 days now since he walked out on me…

49 hours, 19 minutes and 45 seconds to be precise…

2959 minutes….

177585 seconds….

'_But who's counting….right?'_

And since then, time, for me has slowed down to the slowest possible crawl… dragging by endlessly.

Even the parameters by which I measure the passage of time have undergone a radical shift in the last couple of days… the new parameters being, time involved in Charlie's recovery and the time since Jacob's abrupt departure…

Charlie's recovery…while excruciatingly slow…has been coming along nicely. He's still in the Intensive Care Unit but the doctors are no longer classifying his condition as being critical. This in itself is a miracle considering the fact that he had three bullets embedded in his body just four days ago.

Although utterly thrilled about his progress, I can't help but wish that he'd just wake up…soon…

For a person who hates hospitals, I had to admit that I'd handled being cooped up in one for the last few days surprisingly well. But to be fair, I think it had more to do with Alice and Jasper's presence than anything else.

Since the time we got here, either Alice or Jasper have never been far my side for more than a few minutes at a time…keeping me company…taking care of me…making sure I ate three square meals a days and going home to sleep each night. Having someone around to take care of us has been a god send because, honestly speaking, neither Renee nor I have been in a particularly sound mental state since this whole ordeal began.

I'm really grateful for their company…for more than the obvious reasons. Other than giving me some much needed support, the hidden benefit of their presence is that, it has helped to keep the overt hostility of the pack in check… Especially Leah and Quil, who haven't bothered me again after the confrontation two nights ago…

As exhausted as I was…I definitely wasn't up to going another round with them right now...

My only regret is that it seems to have also kept Jacob away…

'_Maybe he's not staying away because of them…maybe he's staying away because he doesn't want to run into you again!'_

'_Just shut up already! I know that he doesn't want to see me! I've accepted it, alright? You don't have to keep rubbing it in my face, again and again!!'_

What really got to me was the fact that Jake hadn't even been back to check on Charlie's health since he left that night. I knew how close the two of them were and it killed me that my presence was so abhorrent to Jake that he'd even abandoned the man who he loved and respected almost as much as his own father just to avoid me.

'_How do you do it Bella? How do you manage to screw up everyone's life so effectively?? Jake, Charlie, Renee, Edward, Alice… Everyone around you…everyone you care about, ends up getting hurt some way or the other!_

_Have you ever stopped to think that it might be you? That caring about you is what makes them so vulnerable? Think about it…you've single-handedly managed to hurt the people who loved you most in the world by your actions! And their only fault was that they loved you…beyond measure!'_

"Oh Bloody Hell, Bella…Stop it this instant!" Jasper's sudden exclamation startled me out of my bout of self recrimination.

I had forgotten that he was still present in the room. He came and sat down beside me on my bed.

"Listen to me, Bella. You need to stop blaming yourself for everything that's happened, okay? None of it has been your fault! I know you're smart enough not to believe that kind of crap! Honestly, how could you believe that you've alienated Alice or Charlie or even Edward for that matter? All of them care about you…they always have and they always will!

Now as far as Jacob is concerned…I don't think you've really alienated him either. Think about it…If he didn't still care about you, why would your presence affect him so strongly, huh? He just needs some time to deal with the shock, is all. Trust me honey, I know what I'm talking about. Now stop thinking about this so much and just try to get some sleep, okay? Everything will be much better tomorrow. And don't worry about Alice…I'll talk to her, alright?" He gave me a fleeting kiss on my forehead and a warning glance before suddenly blocking all the negative emotions passing through my mind.

'_Oh what a relief…'_

Even then, falling asleep was quite challenging…I tossed and turned for hours, finally falling into a restless slumber sometime around dawn…

I was startled awake by the sound of my cell phone ringing. I checked the display only to groan in irritation.

"You have the most horrible sense of timing you know that, right?"

"And…Good Morning to you too, beautiful! Why so grumpy?? Did I interrupt anything?" Dylan answered cheerfully.

I got out of bed reluctantly, knowing that this call would last too long for me to be able to get back to sleep.

"Eww…get your mind out of the gutter!! You didn't interrupt anything…expect my sleep!!"

"Bella Sawn…still in bed at 11 am? GASP! Scandalous!!"

"Ugh…that's waaayyy too chirpy for me, alright? You seriously need to tone it down! I can't take it right now…especially since I haven't even had my daily dose of caffeine yet!"

I was feeling horribly tired and sluggish. I slowly dragged myself into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. The mirror showed the toll all the sleepless nights had taken on me. I had deep purple bruises underneath my eyes which were swollen from all the crying.

"Then what are you waiting for? Get your lazy ass out of bed and go make some of your wonderful coffee! Oh and loads of breakfast too! Both Lisa and I are famished!"

It was like a jolt to my system, making me feel more alert than I had felt in days…

"What?? What?!? What're you talking about? You're here?? Like seriously here?? In Forks?? Here?? Now??" I was too excited to sit still. "I can't believe this!! Oh my God!! You're here!! WOW!!"

Dylan just chuckled. "Alright Bella. Slow, deep breathes, okay? That's right…calm down…you're behaving like you're on a sugar high!"

I could totally imagine the smirk on his face at this moment.

"To answer your question, of course we're here. Where else would we be when our best friend needed us? We're just sorry it took us so long to get here. Anyway, according to this GPS we'll be reaching your house in 15 minutes. We'll talk more once we get there. Now go and get on with that breakfast I asked for, woman! And keep in mind who you're feeding, okay?"

I couldn't keep the silly grin off my face. The moment we hung up the phone, I hurried around changing out of my sleepwear into jeans and a comfortable t-shirt, brushing my teeth and pulling my hair up into a ponytail. I bounded down the stairs into the kitchen, switching on the coffee maker and getting out the makings of French toast.

I almost felt like a new person…especially in comparison to how I was feeling last night. For the first time since I had gotten to Forks, I almost felt like my usual self…happy, optimistic, full of hope…It was a good feeling.

I turned around and almost jumped out of my skin, startled to see Alice leaning against the kitchen door…observing me with a perplexed smile on her face.

"Geez… Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to sneak up on people? You scared the crap out of me" I chided her gently, holding a hand against my wildly beating heart.

"I can't believe this is the same Bella that I walked out on last night! What's got you in such a good mood today? You're actually buzzing around…smiling…and singing!! My god…it's been ages since I've seen you this way!" Alice exclaimed.

Before I could give her any kind of reply, there was a loud pounding on the front door followed by, "Yo Woomaan…Open Up! Where's my food?"

I spared a quick grin at Alice's thunderstruck expression before running out of the kitchen to open the door and jump straight into Dylan's waiting arms, knocking him back a few steps with my momentum.

"Oomph…whoa…What've you been eating lately?" Dylan asked me teasingly.

"Hey, are you calling me FAT?? How dare you?!" I punched him, in the gut…following our usual routine.

He raised his arms in mock surrender. "Now would I be stupid enough to do that? Of course not…cos it's the quickest way to incur your wrath, isn't it? And I am much too scared of you when you're…you know…all wrathful…"

"Oh shut up you moron!" I laughed affectionately. "It's so good to see you! God I missed you, Dylan! I STILL can't believe you're here!! But I'm so glad you are! I don't know how I managed these past few days without you…either of you! Speaking of which…where's Lisa? Didn't you say she was with you?"

"Well…look at that! I think I'm seriously offended!! I'm standing right here and you don't even notice me!?!" Lisa huffed impatiently from behind Dylan. "You know Dylan; I'm beginning to think that you were right all along! There might be some truth to your claims of Bella secretly being in love with you after all. Hmmm…interesting…"

She was grinning from ear to ear by the time she finished saying this, assuring me that she was only teasing.

"Yeah right! The only reason I didn't see you is that this giant oaf was standing in the way…blocking my vision! Oh come here you…Gimme a hug!!"

I held Lisa close to me, overcome by the fact that they were both standing here…on Charlie's front porch…in Forks! Their dedication, their love overwhelmed me! I found it humbling that they had flown almost halfway around the globe…just to be near me in my time of need! I think this was God's way of reminding me to count my blessings instead of cribbing about things that I didn't have…

After our happy reunion, Dylan went back to their rental car to bring in their luggage. I looked on in astonishment as he eventually managed to bring in all four suitcases as well as the two carry-on bags.

"Umm… Not that I mind, but are you guys planning on staying here 'permanently'?"

I couldn't help but notice the quick look they exchanged between themselves.

"Well… No… not permanently. But we are prepared to stay here as long as you need us. That's actually why we couldn't get here sooner. We had a lot of details to take care of back home. Taking a leave of absence is more complicated than either of us imagined it would be." This, from Lisa… the ever practical one...

I couldn't help sniffling. "You guys…I don't even know what to say. Except…Thank you…" I opened my arms again and held them both close to me in our patented group hug.

"Jesus…" Dylan whispered reverently, interrupting the emotional moment.

I looked at him questioningly…curious to find out what had set him off… only to see him staring over my shoulder at Alice.

"I feel like I've died and gone to heaven because such beauty, such perfection can only mean that you're an angel…"

I didn't know whether to be horrified or amused. Dylan…God help me…was flirting with Alice!

In the interest of Dylan's continued survival, I quickly scanned the room, making sure that Jasper wasn't lurking in any corners waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

"Hi, I'm Dylan by the way...Bella's friend from London. And you might be…?"

Oh Boy…the idiot was hell bent on committing suicide!

"Dylan..." I warned. "Stop being an idiot. She's much too old for you."

'_Really Bella? That's the best you could come up with?' _

'_What?? Technically it is the truth!'_

I could literally feel my 'other' self rolling its eyes at that…

'_How about, she's married? And if her husband finds out, he would break each and every bone in your body without even breaking into a sweat… Don't you think that might have been a tad bit more effective?'_

"Pfft...Bella…Don't be ridiculous! She can't be a day over 18...if that. Am I right?"

'_If only you knew Dylan…if only you knew…'_

"I'm Alice, Bella's…friend." I noticed that she had a smirk on her face while shaking his outstretched hand.

'_Well…at least someone finds this situation amusing!'_

"And 'I' am in love…"

Oh you have GOT to be kidding me…

Lisa could barely contain her laughter. We'd both been witness to many such incidents throughout our association with Dylan…who had the unfortunate tendency of falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat. Usually, I don't mind…because, I know that he's harmless…if a little impulsive, and under ordinary circumstances, I'd also find this situation hilarious especially considering the fact that Dylan was always so earnest while making such declarations.

But at the moment I was too frustrated to be amused!

Jasper's imminent arrival had the potential of turning this harmless encounter into something a little more…complicated. Just because Alice, Jasper and the rest of the Cullen's were so comfortable around me, it didn't necessarily mean that they were equally comfortable around all humans. And I was especially concerned about the kind of reaction Jasper would have to someone flirting with his wife! Call it a hunch…but somehow I didn't think he'd be as amused as Lisa and Alice seemed to be!

It was high time I took control of the situation. "Dylan…this is Alice, Edward's sister." I walked up to him and whacked him on the head. "And you better quit flirting with her this instant, before her husband decides to come and beat the shit out of you!"

"What?? She's married??"

I couldn't believe it…the idiot was actually pouting!!

Jasper chose that exact moment to walk into the room…looking around at all of us questioningly…

'_Yikes…how much has he heard? Is he upset?'_

"Um Hmmm…To him…" I pointed out hoping Dylan would get the hint.

Fortunately…thankfully, it turned out that Dylan wasn't completely dumb…

"Oops! Sorry man…didn't know she was taken. No offense intended." He said, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender.

"None taken. Don't worry about it."

Jasper stepped forward and shook Dylan's hand, giving him a friendly slap on the back.

I felt relieved that the situation had been amicably resolved…this time at least! But I was determined to have a nice, long chat with Dylan…and soon…before he got into any more trouble!

The whole situation acted as an icebreaker and helped smooth the initial awkwardness between the new arrivals and my 'former in-laws' as they were now being referred to…

Once everyone had settled down, the conversation soon turned to other important topics such as Charlie's health and…unfortunately, for my peace of mind…Jacob.

Both Lisa and Dylan were indignant after being told the details of our 'so-called' meeting.

"He just WALKED OFF?!? What kind of an idiot is he?? And you haven't seen him since? Well what are we waiting for? Let's go and pound some sense into him!" Dylan flexed his well developed muscles.

Jasper and Alice were obviously, completely in favor of this idea!

"I have to say Bella, I like the way this kid thinks!" High praise coming from Jasper… "Let's go and do it!"

"Guys…guys…GUYS!! No one is going to pound anyone… so settle down! We're all adults here…so let's behave like that, shall we? Now I'm sorry for saying this but all of you need to stop interfering in this situation! I know you mean well but this is between Jake and me…and we'll handle it our way! So…no more interference!! Come on…promise me…"

After they had reluctantly given me their word not to interfere, Lisa…who'd been completely silent till then…spoke up, "So…I get it that he doesn't want to talk to you…but…what's stopping YOU from talking to HIM? Why don't you go and confront him? Explain the situation to him…say what you have to say…apologize…and then if he still doesn't want anything to do with you…tell him to go to hell!"

"NO! If Jacob doesn't wanna talk to me, then I'm gonna respect his decision, ok? I've already jerked him around enough! I'm not just gonna barge in on his life again and force myself on him! I'm gonna respect his wishes and leave him alone!! Please, please…I beg of you…don't force this issue any further…"

Lisa had an extremely thoughtful expression on her face. "Is that what you're doing, Bella…respecting his privacy? Do you really believe that… because it seems to me like you're just running away from the situation yet again! You're running scared…because you're afraid of his reaction! You need to stop Bella…you need to stop running away from your past…

Didn't you always tell me that despite everything you put him through; Jacob didn't ever give up on you…no matter what you said to him? Well…don't you think he deserves the same kind of dedication Bella? Don't you think he deserves a friend who cares enough to do whatever it takes to get him back… to mend your relationship? Don't you think he deserves some kind of an explanation?

How many times did you tell me how much you regretted losing him...how you wished you could apologize to him…how you wanted your friend back? Well this Bella…this is your chance! Are you going to just let it pass you by? Don't you think the least you owe his is an apology?"

Her words were like a slap in my face…a wake-up call…

"How can you call him your best friend if you aren't even prepared to fight for him…for your friendship? Isn't he worth it? Isn't he worth taking the risk of being rejected…of being hurt?"

'_Of course he is! He's worth so, so, so much more than this…And as far as the question of what he deserves arises, he deserves everything…not just this but so much more! God…how could I be so oblivious…so blind?? And how could I give up on him so easily? Of course I can't give up… I have to fight for him!!'_

"Hey where are you going?"

I snapped back to reality, realizing that my feet had already started guiding me towards the door before I was even conscious of my brain giving any of the relevant orders…

Apparently this time my heart had made all the decisions without bothering to consult my brain…

I felt better than I had in a really long time…the joy, the giddiness, the lightheartedness completely evident in my mannerisms…

I looked back towards my friends and gave them a broad, uninhibited smile.

"Looks like I'm going to go get my best friend back!"

But I soon discovered that the day's quota of surprises was not over…

The moment I opened the door… I found myself faced with the biggest one so far…

"Jake!"

**A/N: - I know…I know…I'm Evil…You guys want some B/J interaction and I swear I was aiming for it in this chapter, but the story just took on a life of its own!! You know how that is, right? 'Sigh' I hope you guys will just be a little more patient…cos…as this chapter clearly indicates, next chapter will definitely be about Bella and Jacob's meeting! So…don't hate me just yet!**

**Anyway would LOVE to hear from you guys…questions, comments, suggestions…anything! Heck I don't care if all you want to say is 'hi'…as long as I get to hear from you! :D No, seriously…Your opinions mean a lot to me…so let me know what you think… pretty please… :( **

**Also, once again…a huge thanks to my awesome beta… She rocks! :) I seriously don't know what I would do without her all her helpful ideas, questions and comments! Thank you Cheryl…you're the best! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

JPOV

"Dude…what the fuck are we doing here? Are you insane?!? This is the absolute, last place on Earth where you should be right now! You have a flight to catch man!"

My lack of response finally alerted Embry to the fact that I wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying. He'd been ranting almost non-stop for almost the last 40 minutes and I couldn't have cared less…My entire being was tuned to just one thing…getting out of the car and walking up to Charlie's house to have a conversation with Bella as soon as possible…

"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck…Leah's gonna murder me for letting you come here! What the hell were you thinking, man? Do you want to get me killed?!? Come on, be reasonable…forget about this crazy idea of yours and let me take you to the airport…let's get outta here before 'Madam Hitler' finds out and makes my life a living hell!"

I ignored Embry's pleas…just like I'd been doing ever since we'd left the reservation and started driving towards Forks instead of Port Angeles.

"Shit! Serves me right for being such a gullible fool! Just see if I ever trust 'you' again! 'Drive me to the airport Embry… No…not Quil or Leah…it has to be you, Em! I need to discuss a few last minute details with you.' Yeah, right!! You tricked me man! You played me…made a fool outta me! How could you, Jake? If anyone had asked me yesterday, I'd have confidently told them that you're the last person in the world who'd do such a thing!" Embry was still continuing with his long list of complaints. I couldn't really blame him…he was absolutely right…I had tricked him.

When I'd gone to bed last night, this visit had certainly not been part of today's itinerary! Considering the encouraging progress in Charlie's condition, I'd actually been planning a quick trip to Los Angeles to seal the deal with Universal Studio's. I'd even got the bookings done and had actually been looking forward to a break from the daily tug of war going on in my mind concerning one Bella Swan. Every day, I'd been vacillating back and forth between wanting to confront Bella and deciding to stay the hell away from her!

It was only sometime late last night that I'd finally arrived at a conclusion and had changed my mind about going to LA, deciding on this course of action instead.

I'd known as soon as I made up my mind to contact Bella, that Embry was the only one of my friends who had both the maturity to understand my point of view as well as the balls to be supportive of my decision. There was no chance of either Quil or Leah being party to any of this…especially not after the showdown in the hospital the other night. And unfortunately every other person in the group would be too terrified of Leah's wrath to do something that would so clearly displease her.

Embry was the only one who could stand up to both of them if required… even in my absence. So…I'd schemed and lied and maneuvered…subtly of course…till he'd agreed to give me a ride to what he believed would be the airport. Of course, the moment we'd left the reservation, he'd come to realize that I'd tricked him and that's when his ranting had begun.

Taking all my machinations into consideration, Embry's sense of betrayal and his anger was completely justified…but…just because I understood where Embry was coming from, didn't mean I could listen to his whining any more. He'd been going on and on ever since we'd left the reservation and I'd just about reached the end of my tether!

"Hey…hey…hey! Enough of your bitching and moaning already! Since when did you turn into such a girl dude? I can't even believe I'm saying this, but you've been behaving worse than Leah at her worst!! How about you shut your bloody trap for a moment and let me think, huh?"

I noticed the glare on Embry face along with the narrowed eyes. Uh Oh…maybe I'd been just a tad bit off in estimation of the limit of Embry's patience and support… I'd anticipated that since, next to me, Embry had always been the closest to Bella in the past; he'd be a little more open to the idea of having an open conversation with her than anyone else. But maybe, I'd been too hasty in jumping to that conclusion… maybe he was just as upset with Bella as the others obviously were…

All of a sudden I began having doubts as to the wisdom of my actions. Maybe coming here now hadn't been the best idea of my life. And I especially began to regret dragging Embry into this with me…he was going to catch a lot of flak from everyone about this.

"Hey Em…I'm sorry man. I didn't intentionally set out to put you in a tough spot here, you know that right? I just thought that you more than anyone else would understand what I'm going through and why I have to do this… but maybe I was wrong. I shouldn't have put such a burden on you. And I especially shouldn't have expected you to do something against your wishes and then lie to the others about it.

I just…felt like I needed to get this off my chest man! These last few days have made me doubt the very foundation of my relationship…my friendship with Bella! I feel like she just used me when she needed me and then tossed me aside as soon as she was done! The fact that she didn't even bother contacting me for all this time is just eating away at me!! Fuck!! I can't believe that I was such a fool for her! I don't want to end up like last time dude…I CAN'T end up like last time! That's the main reason that I felt like I needed to face her and just get all this bitterness out of my system. You know…deal with it like a mature adult. But you're right…it's not your problem…so just forget about it, I'll do this some other time. Come on…Let's get out of here."

Embry's harsh countenance softened. "No Jake…you're right. I do understand. I understand that this is something that you have to do and I'm actually glad that you're looking at all this in such a healthy way. I'd always known that this was inevitable…In fact, I tried to warn both Leah and Quil, but they refused to even consider this eventuality. I knew as soon as I saw the look on your face in the hospital that you'd never be able to just ignore her or forget about her…especially not after the shock you'd received. I also knew that you'd want to get some clarifications…some explanations and I actually do support you. I think that it's a good thing for you to talk this out with her. You need it. Once you understand her reasoning and thoughts, I'm hoping that you'll be able to finally let go of the past and move forward.

I just wish you hadn't lied about the whole thing in the first place. I mean…come on…you know we can't hide this from anyone in the pack for more than a couple of hours at the most! So what's the point? Is it worth getting our asses handed to us on a plate by your blood-thirsty second-in-command?

Wait…actually…scratch that… 'You' don't have to worry about her. I'm sure you'll be okay…she can't actually do anything to you…after all you are technically her superior AND she even likes you. Me on the other hand…I'm doomed!" He sighed in frustration.

"Since when are you so scared of Leah, huh? As far as I remember, you'd always been the one person in the whole pack that was always eager to butt heads with her…"

'_Is it just my imagination, or is that a guilty/embarrassed look on Embry's face? Okay…that's it! By hook or by crook, I HAVE to find out whatever the hell is going on between these two …cos something sure is fishy about this whole thing…'_

But that'd have to wait for later…right now I had much more important things on my mind…

Like trying to work up enough courage to walk up to the door and face Isabella Swan for the first time in six years… and coming up with the right words to express myself…my feelings of frustration to her…

"Well? Now, that we've firmly established that you're going ahead with this with no concern for the consequences; what the bloody hell are you waiting for…Christmas?!? _Please_ just get it over with already…before I lose my limited supply of patience and sympathy and kick your ass…big time… for being such a lying, sneaking bastard!" Embry said irritatedly.

"Oh yeah?!? My, my…aren't we getting just a tad bit cocky? You actually think that you could kick my ass? Pfft…You're delusional!"

"Oh don't be so sure of yourself…I mean sure…you're the big, bad alpha, but I'm sneaky AND I'm fast! I could totally kick your ass…and in such a way that you'd be left wondering what hit you!"

"Oh you are so on! Come on…let's go, you and me…one on one."

"Not that I wouldn't love to take you up on your challenge and prove you wrong, but… don't you think that you've procrastinated enough? Just go and talk to her man… just get this over with."

I was startled to realize that Embry was absolutely right. I had been buying time all this while. The fearless wolf…the alpha…the vanquisher of vampires…was actually terrified of facing a tiny, slip of a girl!

Now that the moment was actually upon me, my brilliant plan seemed not-so-brilliant anymore. In all the time leading up to this moment, I hadn't actually thought beyond slipping beneath the pack's radar and getting here. Only now was I realizing that I should have spent a lot more time deciding what I was going to say to Bella when I came face to face with her.

The thought of actually being face to face with her after such a long time was making me extremely nervous. My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating much faster than usual.

'_How the hell did I end up here when just two days ago, my life had seemed so much simpler?'_

Two days ago, the decision had been clear-cut and straightforward. I'd been determined to stay away from her…I mean, if she wanted to talk to me, she could very well come to me, right?

Even after the talk with the leech; I'd never intended to actively seek her out…after all SHE was the one with all the secrets, the one who'd disappeared six years ago without any explanations only to suddenly turn up again…safe and sound…

I, on the other hand, didn't have anything to hide…and I sure as hell didn't owe her any explanations! So…my logic had been very simple, 'why the hell should I be the one to initiate any contact with her?'

The fact remained that if she'd wanted to see me, she could've done so at any point of time in the last six years. After all, it wasn't as if she hadn't known where I'd be… I wasn't the one who'd pulled a disappearing act! She'd known where I was all along…she'd just chosen not to contact me…

And that was the thing that was at the crux of my fury! That was the thing that bugged the hell out of me… that this distance between us…it had been HER choice! Her choice to sever all ties between us…her choice not to pursue even the simplest, most basic forms of communication…

Hell…we'd gone from being best friends to complete and total strangers…and through no fault of my own! My opinion had never been asked…my feelings had never been considered…

Taking all this into consideration, I'd made up my mind to ignore her…to completely and totally banish all thoughts of her from my mind… an action that I'd never been able to succeed at in the past… and not for any lack of trying on my behalf. I'd just been too deeply in love with her to ever truly succeed. I'd jumped through all sorts of hoops for her…dropping everything to constantly be at her beck and call…and she'd always taken advantage of this by riding roughshod over my emotions…

Well…no more!

I was a different person now…a mature, responsible adult…with a better hold on my emotions and impulses…

I had more self-respect now…better self control…and a much stronger will power…

So I'd tried…I really had… to put her out of my mind. I'd even gone out of my way to avoid her…staying away from places where she was most likely to be at a given point of time in the day. I had even made it a point to go see Charlie late in the night…after she'd gone home to sleep…just to eliminate even the most superficial chance of running into her…

And…oh god…how pathetic was it that my so called determination had lasted for the grand total duration of only two whole days!?!

'_You don't seriously expect me to answer that, do you? Hmmm… I thought not…'_

I don't know what strange power she exerted over me…it was like I didn't have any control over myself when it came to her. All the logic, all the maturity in the world…everything went out the window when it came to her…

It was almost like a sick, twisted kind of obsession…

The worst…the saddest…the lamest part of it all was that apart from lying to Embry about it, I'd actually found it necessary to sneak away from my own pack to come see her!

The way Quil and Leah had reacted to Bella's presence in the hospital the other day had given me a little inkling…a brief taste…of the bitterness…the antagonism the pack held towards her. They'd been right by my side the whole time I'd been dealing with my feelings after Bella's disappearing act…they'd suffered right along with me…felt everything I felt.

They were understandably nervous… concerned about what her sudden reappearance would do to me…to them…to the pack as a whole. None of them had forgotten the strain that my relationship with her had put on the whole pack, what with my disobedience of Sam's orders and the constant, unnatural alliance with the leeches; and none of them were eager to repeat the experience. And, this time around, the potential for disaster was much more magnified. After all…being the alpha, my strength was their strength now; my weakness… theirs.

I'd known that they'd vehemently oppose the idea of me having any sort of interaction with her…and so, in my infinite stupidity, I'd compounded my mistake by simply taking the cowardly way out… bypassing their opposition by choosing to keep them out of the loop… instead of taking the time to convince them otherwise!

I wish I could convince them that this time around, things would be different…that they didn't have anything to worry about. I was intensely aware of my responsibility towards them…my duty. I knew that my tribe, my people…and not just the pack, looked up to me…depended on me. I was aware that I could no longer afford to be careless about my life… I couldn't afford to fall apart like I had the last time…I had to be strong…at least for the sake of all the people who depended on me.

Unfortunately, I couldn't give them that reassurance! Because there was a vast difference between knowing what was the right thing to do and actually doing it…especially for me…and especially when it came to Bella!

The leader part of me…the part that was vividly aware of the effect of my decisions on each and every member of the pack…was convinced that staying away from Bella was the best course of action for everyone involved… The answer to all of my problems, all of my inner conflict was glaringly obvious… I simply had to stay away from Bella! Simple… uncomplicated…straightforward…

But, the other part…the 'best-friend' part…the 'jilted lover' part…the part that had been 'completely and madly in love with her' six years ago… that part, refused to cooperate and do the sensible thing…

And… as always… when it came to Bella; this part proved to be much, much stronger…

On some level, I'd known that I should be feeling ashamed of my actions…after all, I'd been fully aware of the fact that I would be disappointing everyone…all of the people who'd been there for me when she wasn't… but even that knowledge hadn't been enough to prevent me from lying to Embry and sneaking out of my 'own' house…bright and early in the morning…in my 'human' form...so that none of my 'other' friends could find out about my plan beforehand and try to stop me...

I had deliberately lied to my father, telling him that I was on my way to a business meeting… I had lied to my best friends… outright to Embry and to the rest by omission.

'_Wow…You're a hateful, cowardly person!'_

I knew that the moment my pack found out about my whereabouts, there'd be hell to pay! Even though technically, I was their leader, I'd never believed in ordering them around. I'd always felt that all of us were on an equal footing. None of them were puppets to be made to dance around on strings… I'd always resented being ordered to do things against my wishes and I wasn't keen on putting any of my friends through the same. The dynamic of the whole pack had undergone a radical change since I'd taken over as alpha… now there was an open dialogue…an exchange of ideas instead of just blind following of orders…

While this was all well and good most of the times, I knew that it was gonna come back and bite me in the ass this time around…

I couldn't imagine Leah or Quil being too pleased with me about this. I suspected that I'd be dragged over some very hot coals for undertaking this course of action and for keeping them in the dark about it. And in my intense selfishness, I'd dragged Embry right along with me! Now he'd have to bear the brunt of their anger as well.

And even now…knowing the consequences of my actions…I couldn't get myself to feel any kind of regret over my actions…the only thing I regretted was dragging Embry down with me!

'_They won't understand that I HAD to see her…I had to talk to her…I had to know why she did what she did…I had to know if I had ever meant anything to her… It's extremely important that I gain some sort of understanding of the situation! If not for my sanity…then at least for my peace of mind…' _

The last couple of days had given me ample opportunity to think about my actions…both past and present and the conclusions I'd reached had not been pleasant ones.

I'd come to the uncomfortable conclusion that I'd never allowed myself to get over Bella…not completely. I thought of her…constantly…no matter how hard I tried not to. Thankfully, I'd learned to be a little more subtle about it now-a-days and no one other than me was aware of the impact her desertion still had on my life.

Subconsciously, I'd let that one incident color all my subsequent decisions! When she'd left, she'd made me feel horribly inadequate and all my hard work since that time…my intense need to succeed at everything I did had been a means to compensate for that inadequacy! Every new achievement…every new milestone reached had been like a reaffirmation for me…a reaffirmation that I had been worthy of her love.

The circumstances of our last meeting, the way things between us had ended, had created too much bitterness in my mind regarding her…regarding all women and without even being aware of this fact, I'd been using it as an excuse not to get into any serious relationships in the past. I'd compared every girl I'd gone out with, in the past six years to Bella…and none of them had ever lived up to the image of her that I had built up in my mind…

I'd never been able to duplicate the feelings I'd had for Bella—that violent, possessive, insane need to see and touch and laugh with her, that volcanic passion that controlled me and couldn't be sated by anyone but her. No other woman had been able to look up at me and make me feel humbled and powerful at the same time—or been able to ignite that same desperate desire to prove that I could be more and better than I was. To be with someone who didn't do that to me would've been like settling for second-best, and second-best in anything just wasn't good enough.

At the same time, I had absolutely no desire to ever again experience those tormenting, stormy, crushing emotions again. They'd been horrifyingly painful, and the mere memory of them—and of the beautiful, young girl I'd adored— had made my life a living hell for these past years! Being stuck in the past only made it that much more difficult to live in the present…

All of these realizations had been eye opening and I'd made up my mind right then and there to do everything in my power to move on with my life! The plan I'd come up with had been very simple…confront Bella… demand an explanation for her behavior… get a sense of closure so that I could declare that chapter in my life closed and move on!

That decision…that plan was what had led to this impromptu visit… except that now that I was actually here…I couldn't seem to bring myself to go through with it! I realized that Embry and I'd been sitting out in Charlie's driveway for almost 50 minutes now and I'd yet to work up the courage to open the door and step out! I sneaked a glance toward Embry out of the corner of my eye, thinking that he'd be furious with me by now, only to discover that he'd simply dozed off.

'_Oh great… now you're putting people to sleep! What the fuck is the matter with you, Black? Why can't you just follow through with a simple plan, huh? How much more time are you gonna waste on this? Come on now… Don't be a coward! All you have to do is pull yourself together and walk up to the door. That's all… doesn't that sound easy? I mean…come on… You've faced monsters and killed leeches that've been far more scary and badass… and you've done that fearlessly. So why does this one, tiny, human girl have you shaking in your boots? What is it about her, huh? I'd really like to know what's so special about Bella Swan that you can't seem to face her! Where's your spine, man? Just get it over with…it can't be as bad as you've made it out to be! Just think of it like pulling off a bandage…One quick tug…'_

Yes…that's what it was… one quick tug… just one quick tug….

I took a deep, fortifying breath and opened the car door… finally preparing myself to step out of the car. As soon as the door opened, my nostrils were assaulted by the sickeningly sweet odor that signified just one thing…

Leeches! My body instinctively stiffened and my nostril wrinkled in disgust…

'_Ugh! Well…this is just fucking perfect! Exactly what I need right now…fucking leeches spying on me and my conversation with Bella…passing judgment, being sarcastic… Why, oh why couldn't I catch a break even once in my life?!? Just once in life, I'd like to do things my way…without the leeches looking over my shoulder every single second of the way…'_

But… apparently that time wasn't going to be now! So… it was better to just toughen up and get this show over with…as quickly as possible.

I made my way to the porch gingerly, mentally preparing myself for the approaching ordeal. I wiped my sweaty palms off on my jeans and raised my fist to bang on the door…only to have the breath that I'd just taken knocked right out of me once again…leaving me feeling strangely lightheaded…

Right there…standing in the doorway just like she used to so many years ago… and looking as surprised as I'm sure I, myself, looked…was Isabella Swan…my long lost best friend, the girl who'd left me heartbroken six years ago… and the 'only' girl I'd ever loved! A girl who was achingly familiar and strangely different, both at the same time…

Except, the 'girl' I'd once loved with all my heart, had grown up…matured… into 'this' beautiful woman standing in front of me.

Seeing her gave me a weird sense of déjà vu… a strange feeling of being in two places t the same time… I felt like I'd suddenly been transported to the past where we were Jake and Bells…best friends… once again and at the same time, we were obviously here in the present, facing each other after six years as strangers…

The first thought that ran through my mind as soon as my thought process began functioning again was that I was really glad that I hadn't really looked at her in the hospital the other day! Because… if I had looked at her, I don't think I'd have been able to control my reaction and that would've definitely made the whole Leah – Quil – Bella situation that much more complicated…

I really don't think any of my friends would have appreciated me gawking at her open mouthed but that was about the only thing I seemed to be capable of doing right now…

She looked…and the only word that came to my mind that did her any kind of justice was… stunning!

Maybe it was her eyes…no longer filled with unhappiness or shadows…but reflecting peace and contentment. Maybe it was her smile…carefree and heartfelt… brighter than I've ever seen it before. Maybe it was the way she carried herself…straighter, more confident, graceful and elegant. Or maybe it was the aura that surrounded her… an aura of innocence…of being, somehow 'untouched'... and 'unattainable'…

Whatever the reason, the result was breathtaking!

She'd always been beautiful…especially to me…but now…now, she was ethereal…

Golden, sun-kissed skin…glorious, untamed, brown curls flashing with golden streaks that now reached right down to her waist…almond shaped eyes that slanted upwards at the corners exotically and were the color of warm whiskey…

She was tawny gold all over… and I could not stop staring…

'_Stop that! Get your act together man… you're behaving like a cheap pervert! Stop staring at her before you scare her off…and while you're at it, you might want to close your mouth too!'_

I knew that I was behaving like an idiot but I couldn't seem to snap myself out of the trance I'd fallen into…

"Jake!" She screeched and I felt my heart skip a beat at the sound of her voice.

Why… after all this time and everything she'd done to me did she still have this effect on me??

With a huge effort of will I snapped myself out of my trance-like state.

The moment my focus shifted from Bella, I became conscious of the absolute silence in the room… besides Bella, there were four other 'people' in the room and yet there was complete, pin drop silence! It was almost like everyone was waiting with bated breath…eager to see what would come of this highly volatile situation.

Silently, but much slower than usual, the leeches glided into their characteristic places…one on either side of her, almost like they were her bodyguards.

Like I was gonna…what…punch her or something?? They were starting to seriously piss me off! No matter how angry or upset I was I would never hurt any woman… much less Bella and they had to know that! They were just trying to provoke me…get me to lost my cool. Well...they would never get that particular satisfaction from me…not if I had any say in the matter.

I tried to distract myself by looking beyond them to the other people present there and locked eyes with two slightly disgruntled individuals…a cocky, young guy and a delicate but beautiful girl…both of whom were strangers to me.

Obviously, now was not a good time to have my talk with Bella. It was clear that she had some guests and she also seemed like she'd been on her way out. Oh well…such is life. Not everything goes according to plan. I'd just have to reschedule this whole thing for some other time. I tried to suppress my keen sense of disappointment.

I also noticed that strangely enough, apart from that one screech, Bella had been completely silent…almost like she was frozen in place.

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Uh… Hi, Bella. I…uh…was wondering if I could talk to you for a while. But I guess I shouldn't have dropped by unannounced. I can see that you're busy right now. So…uh…if you don't mind, can we maybe, meet up sometime soon…as per your convenience of course…? I'd really like to talk to you about some things that, I think, need to be clarified. So…uh…let me know in case you want to go ahead with this. If not…well…then I guess that's fine too. So…yeah…whatever…let me know, okay?"

'_Smooth Black… very smooth! No wonder the ladies are dying to hook up with you! Undoubtedly they find your stuttering and stammering very sexy… way to go man! You dumb idiot!! What're you, in fucking high school?? Get over your lame awkwardness man… you're not here to ask her to the prom, you idiot…you're here to ask her for an explanation! Jeez!'_

Be that as it may, the fact still remained that the timing was just not right for the kind of talk I'd hoped to have with her…and I'd said all that I could safely say in such a situation. That's all I could do…now it was up to her. The ball was now in her court. I'd come to know soon enough whether she was also keen on getting all the facts out in the open or not. If she didn't contact me…well…then I guess I'd have my answer.

Before I could even turn around, Bella reacted…almost like she'd been galvanized into action.

"Jake…wait! You don't have to leave. It may not seem like it, but I do want to talk to you. In fact, I was just about to come see you before you turned up here. The only reason I didn't say anything was because I was too surprised by the sudden turn of events. I never expected to see you here and I didn't know what to do or say when I saw you here. And now I'm gonna stop blabbering. So…in short…to answer your question…yes I do want to talk to you."

All throughout her monologue, I'd tried to observe her as objectively as I could, looking for signs of artifice and deception but I'd found none. She seemed like she always had…completely genuine. I found out that this observation made it even more difficult for me to harden my heart against her.

To make things worse…I found her nervous blabbering and her tense smiles…well…cute.

'_Will you stop with the stupid adoration for one lousy second?!? Jeez…how lame are you? You're supposed to be upset with her…not finding her adorable or cute! Do I have to tell you everything??'_

I knew that I was probably smiling at her…something that I definitely hadn't planned on doing anytime soon but it was too late to take it back.

"Are you sure? You obviously have company so it's okay with me if you want to do this at some other time, really."

One of the things she'd said, that I'd missed the first time around due to my stupid bout of adoration now percolated slowly into my brain.

"Wait…what? Go back a second… Did I just hear you say that you were on your way to see me?!?"

Suddenly Bella seemed even more nervous. "Uh…yes. I hope that's not a problem."

Problem? Problem?!? Hell no…it wasn't a problem! It just wasn't something that I'd even dared to hope for.

The ice around my heart thawed out a little more…

"So…do you think we could go somewhere a little more private for a little while?"

"Yeah…sure" She answered rather quickly. "What did you have in mind?"

"Ummm…First Beach?"

'_Shit! Where the hell did that come from?? Now she's gonna end up thinking of you as a sentimental, love-sick fool!!GOD! What the hell am I gonna do with you, huh? You can't even handle this one teeny tiny detail! Anyway just forget it! It's too late to take it back now… so you'll just have to roll with the punches, I guess.'_

For the first time I noticed that her eyes had brightened up at the mention of First Beach and the smile on her face seemed a little less forced.

'_So I guess you're not the only one with good memories of that place. Thank God for small mercies…' _

As she turned to talk to the leeches, she came to the realization that she hadn't bothered to introduce her guests to me which caused her to get flustered.

"Uh, Jake, these are some of my closest friends from London…I went to school with them for the last few years."

'_Wow…London, huh? So that's where she's been all this while… for leeches, they sure tend to get around…and no wonder they chose London…weather-wise it would've suit them just fine…' _

I noticed Bella's friends had walked over for a formal introduction and even though I was really impatient to get to my real purpose behind coming here, I didn't want to be rude.

So I reluctantly shifted my attention from Bella and prepared myself to go through the niceties that were sure to follow.

"Hi, I'm Lisa Turner. And you must be Jake. I've heard a lot about you."

She had?!? How? When? Where? I had to admit to being intensely curious. This person was actually implying that Bella discussed me with her friends and I'm not sure how to react to that piece of information.

Meanwhile, Bella's other friend had also stepped ahead and I noticed that his posture…his body language was much less friendlier than Lisa's. His approach was planned in such a way that when he extended his hand towards me for a handshake, he ended up standing in between Bella and me… and even I had to admit to being impressed with the way he'd executed it…I was sure that no one except Jasper and I even noticed the move.

"Dylan O'Connor." He said stiffly… his entire body language screaming 'aggression'.

I wondered briefly what this guy had against me. I was usually the last person on Earth to arouse such antagonism in a stranger; despite my size…I guess it had something to do with my personality. I was too mellow and laid back to inspire any real feeling of threat or danger…

But a stranger's reaction to my presence was the last of my worries right now. I quickly dismissed the strange behavior from my mind and turned back towards Bella.

I guess she must've sensed the direction of my thoughts because she quickly took her jacket and the car keys off the hook before turning and waving to everyone in the room.

"You sure you'll be okay?" the pixie… Alice… asked with a concerned look on her face.

I stiffened in anger and aimed a look at her trying to convey my disbelief without words. I think that at least one of them got the message loud and clear because Jasper stepped over to Alice and laid a restraining hand on her arm.

'_What the hell did they think I was going to do? Abandon Bella in the middle of nowhere? Hit her, kill her… feed her to wild animals??Fucking unbelievable!! She was more likely to get hurt with them than she ever was with me!' _

I was thankful for everyone's sake that the issue did not turn into a full-fledged discussion. I definitely wouldn't have been able to control my tongue if the leeches had actually said anything about it and I don't think Bella would've appreciated such a discussion in front of her obviously human friends.

The guy…Dylan…stepped over and offered to come with us just so Bella wouldn't have to drive back all by herself and I almost groaned in frustration. What was I… an ogre? I had to missing something here. Because there was no fathomable reason why everyone here would suddenly assume the worst about me! I forced myself to keep my cool for just a little while longer.

"Don't worry about it. I drove over. So you don't have to take your car if you don't want to. I'll drive you over when we're done."

She looked like she might protest but I guess the expression on my face clearly indicated the thin thread my patience was hanging by and she quickly…albeit reluctantly gave in.

I let out a sigh of relief and ushered her out as fast as I possibly could. The moment the door closed behind us, I took in great gulps of the clean, stench-free air.

I noticed Bella aim a concerned look in my direction and quickly rearranged my face into what I hoped was my most calm expression.

I guess some instincts just never go away…even after all this time, all I was concerned about was not causing her any sort of undue worry.

Disgusted with myself and the direction of my thoughts, I walked briskly over to the car not even waiting to see if she was following me.

Embry was still in the same position I'd left him some time ago…dozing away to glory…completely unaware of his surroundings… While this situation would have greatly amused me under normal circumstances, the stress of the situation combined with my anger towards myself caused me to react with inexplicable fury.

I banged loudly on the roof of the car. "Wake up you dumbass! What the hell kind of bodyguard are you, huh? Is this how you behave on all assignments too? No wonder so many things go wrong on your watch! I'm gonna have to seriously reconsider giving you full rein in the future, that's for sure. Now get out from behind there. I'm gonna need the car…so you can make your own way back home."

A part of me knew that I was behaving like a total bastard and felt very ashamed of taking my frustrations out on one of my best friends in this way but the irrational part of me was in charge at the moment and I couldn't do anything to stop my tirade.

Embry to his credit, stayed completely silent throughout my outburst, giving me a knowing and understanding look. He immediately stepped out of the car as soon as I told him to.

Bella on the other hand was a totally different story. I could tell that my outburst had completely shocked her but my rudeness in telling Embry to make his own way home was the straw that broke the camel's back.

She jumped in quickly, defending Embry… making her displeasure known. "Now, wait just one damn minute!! What the hell was that, Jake?? Since when do you treat your friends this way? Embry's done nothing wrong and I'm actually of the opinion that 'you' are the one who's behaved abominably! There was no need to talk to him in that tone of voice and as far as making him walk all the way back to La Push goes, all I have to say is, either Embry goes with us in the car or I don't go with you at all!"

She was clearly upset with me but I was in no mood to soothe her feelings at the moment. I figured that this was as good a time as any for her to figure out that I was not the same Jake that she'd left behind six years ago. That Jake would've caved-in at just the thought of her displeasure but not this Jake! No way…this time around, she wasn't the one in control of the situation... 'I' was.

I turned towards her in irritation… determined to straighten out any misconceptions she held on this topic… only to freeze the moment my gaze landed on her.

She was so goddamn beautiful…her honey brown eyes sparking fire… her cheeks gloriously reddened due to her fit of temper. She bristled with indignation, her back, ramrod straight… her shoulders, thrown back in annoyance… drawing my attention straight to her lush, enticing curves.

My body reacted involuntarily… tightening in arousal at her unconsciously alluring pose, while my brain violently protested the direction my thoughts had suddenly taken. And the worst part was that she appeared to be totally unaffected by my presence and completely oblivious to the havoc she was wreaking on my equilibrium!

'_GODDAMIT! Get your mind out of the gutter, Black! You're ogling another man's wife!! What the fuck is the matter with you?!? You are disgusting, you know that? You make me sick! Now, think about something else…anything else… quick!'_

Embry waited for a few seconds… giving me enough time to respond to her outburst, but he soon realized that I had no intention of doing so. He stepped towards her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright Bella. Don't worry about me. I'm a tough guy, remember? Jake's right anyway, I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I was supposed to watch his back and I failed to do that, so he has all the right in the world to be upset with me. But don't worry…I'm sure we'll sort everything out soon.

By the way, thank you for coming to my defense. It feels nice to know that I have a champion, even if she is only three-quarters my size, you know?" He flashed her a quick grin. "Anyway…I'm going to take off, alright? No…it's okay, really. I'll get home much faster this way. After all, no car can be as fast as I am! I'll see you later…soon hopefully."

'_What the hell?!? What's with Embry all of a sudden? Just a while back he'd been all for demanding explanations and moving on! Now…all of a sudden, he was all buddy-buddy with her?!? How the hell could he do this to me?? Bloody traitor!!' _

And then he did something that made me want to break all the bones in his body…slowly…one at a time… He turned towards Bella and pulled her into a quick hug.

"Welcome home, Bella. It's nice to see you. And I'm really glad that you're here…safe and sound."

Just the thought of him touching her was enough to make me want to punch him! The moment he stepped back from her, I had to resist the violent urge to pull her away from him and into my arms. The fact that she was blushing and giving Embry a soft smile did nothing to improve my disposition.

'_I should be the one hugging her…not him! How dare he take such liberties with her?? And why couldn't she smile at me the way she was smiling at Embry??' _

'_Bloody Hell!! Bloody 'Fucking' Hell! Settle down… Get a Grip on yourself!! Nobody's gonna be hugging anybody here!'_

Embry, the fucking bastard, was completely aware of my reaction and gave me a knowing smirk before taking off in a quick jog towards the tree line.

With stiff, jerky movements, I opened the passenger door of the car for Bella. Once she'd settled in, I walked quickly towards the driver's side, got in and started the engine.

I purposely ignored her as I started driving down the familiar route from Charlie's house towards La Push and First Beach.

I consistently drove above the speed limit, in a hurry now to get this show on the road as quickly as possible. All I wanted to do was get this conversation over with so that I could go back to my nice, safe life and forget all about her… and she could go back to her leech.

'Yes, Jacob… that's it. Keep reminding yourself that the moment Charlie's health improves; she's going back to her beloved leech again. Don't let her get to you! Remember that you have no place in her life now…she's made that plenty clear by her actions over the past few years. And don't forget…she's married! She doesn't belong to you… you have no right to feel possessive or jealous about her anymore…in fact, you never did. So get a grip…seriously!'

I was so engrossed my in own thoughts that her sudden question startled me.

"So, Jake, what happened to the Rabbit?"

"Sold it." I answered tersely without even bothering to glance at her.

"Oh! That's too bad…I always liked that car."

Yeah well…so had I! But…unfortunately… she'd been in it way too many times for my peace of mind. After she'd left, I'd found out that I couldn't even manage to go near it without being assaulted with memories of her. Even the upholstery had smelled like her…no matter how many times I'd washed it. The pain had been unbearable! So I'd gotten rid of it.

In fact, I hadn't been completely honest when I'd told her I'd sold it. The truth was that I'd stripped it…piece by piece…and then sold the pieces, to ensure that I'd never…even accidently… have to set eyes on it again.

The silence between us lengthened… quickly becoming awkward.

My mind went back to a time when even the silences between us had been meaningful… comforting… soothing. In the past, we'd never felt the need to fill up the time we spent together with useless chatter. We could be completely silent and still completely at ease with each other. We'd had a special knack for reading each other's minds without having to get into lengthy discussions and explanations. I was, once again saddened by the loss of that camaraderie… so starkly obvious in the building tension between us.

'_Oh how times change…'_

Finally, I guess, Bella couldn't take it anymore.

"How've you been, Jake?" She blurted out suddenly.

"Fine… great... Peachy."

'_Alright that's enough…I think she got the message…loud and clear!'_

"How about you?" I asked reluctantly.

I had absolutely no desire to hear how nauseatingly happy she'd been with the leech and how her life couldn't have been more perfect, but manners dictated that I return her courtesy.

"Alright, I guess."

'_What? Not great? Well…isn't that interesting?? Hmmm… Maybe there's trouble in paradise…Aww… what a shame!!'_

But before I could feel too smug about it, I suddenly remembered my conversation with Jasper the other day, when he'd said something about Bella having gone through a lot for someone so young or something like that… It had somehow managed to slip my mind after the conversation was over…possibly due to the other issues that I'd had on my mind… but now suddenly, I couldn't stop thinking about it once again…

'_What had he meant by that? The leech wouldn't have hurt her, right? God, I hope he didn't hurt her!! I would rip him apart...slowly and painfully if he'd even dared to do something to hurt her!'_

Thankfully, before I could drive myself crazy with all my speculation, we reached First Beach. I quickly parked the car and we both stepped out…walking silently and aimlessly down the beach.

By unconscious agreement, we both started walking in the direction of the old driftwood tree that had been 'our' spot in the good old days.

'_I guess some things never change…'_

The moment Bella had settled down on the tree, my impatience got the better of me…

"You said you wanted to talk to me, so talk! I'm all ears…"

But before she could say anything, a horrible thought occurred to me.

"Wait a minute… First things first…Tell me, are the rest of the leeches gonna come here? Is HE coming here…your leech?" I spat out angrily.

"Oh no… God no! At least, I hope not. I actually wouldn't know. You'll have to ask Alice. Or you could ask Jasper… either of them really. They'd both know better than me, I guess…"

"Whoa…whoa…hold on a minute there. I must admit, I'm terribly confused. I don't get it. What're you trying to say, huh? You actually expect me to believe that you don't know anything about your husband's plans? I'm not sure I buy that!"

"He's not my husband anymore. He hasn't been for a long time now. It's been three years since the divorce got finalized…four and a half since we separated."

I couldn't be sure about it, but it seemed like there was a suspicious sheen of moisture in her eyes when she spoke about the divorce. It was evident that this was still a sensitive topic for her to talk about.

As for me, I was shell-shocked! It would've only taken a slight breeze to knock me over at that moment.

'_What the hell could've happened? What could've gone so wrong? And how the hell am I supposed to react to this new bombshell? Am I supposed to be happy…angry…sad? What? Sometimes God does have a strange sense of humor! Just when I was getting a hang on my emotions, he sees fit to throw this new curve at me! Shit!'_

Just then, I heard Bella sniff discreetly, confirming my suspicion that she was crying. Her pain, her tears pierced my heart and made me want to take her in my arms and protect her from all the disappointments and heartbreaks of life.

Without considering the consequences of my actions, I dropped to my knees in front of her and gently wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly to me. I ran my hand soothingly down her back, hoping it'd help her feel calmer.

For just a fraction of a second, when I took her in my arms, Bella stiffened. Then, slowly… her arms crept around my neck, gripping tightly as she sagged against me and great, wrenching sobs shook her tiny body.

**A/N: - Hey guys… Am finally done with this chapter! WHEW!! Am really sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long! My Bella and Jake were being just a tad bit stubborn and refusing to cooperate! :P **

**Hope the chapter's worth the wait though… **

**As usual a huge thanks to my beta Cheryl…thanks for being so helpful and supportive. Contrary to your belief, I couldn't do this without your help! Just the encouragement you provide makes me feel more confident about myself! So thank you…from the bottom of my heart! **

**Also thanks to Ashley aka augustblack for agreeing to come aboard as beta and for the tons of help and encouragement she provided during the writing of this chapter. You rock girl…and this chapter would have sucked without your input! Thank you so much! In case, you guys have not read Ashley's stories, do check them out. They are posted right here on and are very good.**

**To the rest of the loyal readers of Unforgettable, I solemnly vow to try and get the next chapter done faster…**

**Also last and most important, please don't forget to review! Please…pretty please?? :( Comments and suggestions are also welcome! In case there's anything particular any of you'd like have happen in the story, be sure to let me know…Will try and include it if it doesn't interfere with the current storyline… **


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

BPOV

It was so surreal…this feeling of being slow roasted in an oven.

It had been so long since I had last experienced it… too long…

And yet, being here…in his arms… gave me a sense of comfort. Almost like the feeling of coming home after a long and heart wrenching absence…

'_Has he always been this warm…or is he warmer now than he was six years ago?'_

But…the most disconcerting thing of it all was; I had absolutely no idea how I ended up here… all I knew was that one minute, Jake had been glaring at me…and then the very next minute, I was in his arms!

I was still trying to come to terms with the fact that after six, long, endless years I was finally in the arms of the one person in the world who had the ability to make my entire world seem right… with just a smile. And the only thing I seemed capable of doing right at that very instant was blubbering all over him!

I wasn't even sure where the tears had suddenly come from…I'd been under the impression that I'd dealt with my past…gotten beyond all the heartbreak… But Jake's soaked t-shirt was enough testimony to the fact that I'd been obviously mistaken…

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I don't even know why I'm crying!" I wailed despairingly.

"Shhhh honey… it's alright. I'm here now. Don't worry. Everything will be alright…you'll see."

The way he uttered the endearment… the way it just slipped so easily out of his mouth… so naturally… even after such a long time… resulted in yet another bout of tears which only served the purpose of confusing him further.

He was being so sweet, so supportive and understanding… in short, so 'Jake'… and I couldn't shake the certainty that I didn't deserve him… didn't deserve his kindness or his friendship… I never had!

"Talk to me, Bella. Tell me what happened. I can't make everything better unless you tell me what's wrong! You're starting to scare me a little bit, honey. You need to calm down."

When he spoke, I could detect a trace of panic in his voice and the last thing that I wanted to do was scare him.

So, I tried to stop crying…tried to put my feelings into words, but, unfortunately I was finding it very difficult to do so.

I didn't know how to make him understand that just being in his arms again... experiencing the incredible warmth and safety of his embrace… was an experience that I hadn't dared… even in my wildest fantasies, to hope for! I realized that I hadn't felt this safe in years! Four and a half years to be exact…

"Did the leech hurt you honey, is that it?" he inquired gravely.

I was aghast, though not necessarily surprised, that he'd reached that particular conclusion as to the reason behind my tears.

"Oh no… God no! Edward didn't hurt me. At least not in the way you're talking about. Whatever hurt was involved was mutual. I hurt him just as much as he hurt me… actually…no… maybe I hurt him much more than he hurt me."

There it was… I was having the very conversation I'd been dreading all this while but could no longer avoid…

This was a part of my relationship with Edward that I was still very sensitive about. I'd not been able to discuss it with anybody till now. I'd tortured myself with thoughts about the reasons behind our break-up ever since our separation… I'd suffered in silence because I'd felt guilty about my part in it…but I still hadn't been able to talk to anyone about it. The pain had been too overwhelming!

Maybe it was unfair on my part, but I felt that Jake was the only person in the world who'd understand the situation and my feelings, completely…

Then again, taking into consideration the fact that Jake was the one person who deserved to hear this explanation more than anyone else in the world, I guess; I would've eventually given in and spoken about the whole sordid mess that was my life anyway…

"I left HIM Jake… 'I' broke all my promises…all the vows I'd taken! Even after things went horribly wrong, he was still willing to work things out. I was the one who couldn't! I was the one who backed out and ran away! Like a coward… I just abandoned him… and at a time when he needed me to be there for him. If anyone's to blame for the break-up of my marriage, it's me… not him! So, please… please don't ever think that he hurt me!"

I'd been too caught up in my explanation to notice Jake's reaction to my impassioned speech. But when I looked at him pleadingly, I noticed that even though he was trying to appear calm, his jaw was clenched and he was holding himself very rigidly.

Surprisingly, none of that anger manifested in his tone of voice. He didn't yell or shout like he would have in the past… Rather, he was unnaturally calm, coolly in control of his emotions. In fact the only indication of his anger was in the way his eyes blazed. I was taken aback by this 'new' version of Jake…so unlike the Jake I remembered from six years ago…

This change in his personality was brought home even more clearly to me when he spoke. Instead of the passionate anger I remembered, there was now a bite in his words…a derogatory quality that was somehow much more hurtful than outright rage could ever have been.

"So then, you're crying…why exactly? Because you miss him?? Because you feel guilty?? Well, well… Isn't that typical of us? Seriously, can we be any more cliché than 'Bella cries over Edward and Jake consoles her'? So, I guess some things haven't changed at all, huh sweetheart? And to think that I thought that this time, things would be different! Shows how much I know!!

I guess the guys are right to call me a fool. I mean, really, I should have realized this sooner! After all, this is exactly how you've always operated!! God! I AM dumb! I was actually ready to go fight the leech for you… because; I'd stupidly convinced myself that he hurt you! Lame, huh?

I'd forgotten once again that you don't need ME to act as your rescuer… especially since you've got your precious leeches jumping through hoops to get the job done! Honestly, when am I ever going to get it through my head that you don't need me… for anything! You never did! Not now…not then! I wonder why I'm finding that so difficult to accept… I mean what more has to happen before I'm finally convinced…

God! You're just using me…like you always did!! But…I have to thank you for reminding me where I stand…now, before it was too late and I ended up doing something much more stupid! At least now, I won't get carried away… and I definitely won't have unrealistic expectations!

Oh yes, and let me reassure you… 'Put your mind to rest' and so on and so forth, you know… that, this time at least, you don't have to worry about me losing my head over you. That was just a one off thing. Believe me, this time there is no danger of that happening! The last time around, I was too blinded by my feelings for you to realize what was right in front of my eyes the whole time! But no more… this time I see you for what you really are! A selfish, self centered bitch!"

I flinched in shock. Jake had never spoken to me in that tone before… never! He'd almost sounded vicious there towards the end…

'_Well can you really blame him? Isn't everything he said true? That's exactly how you treated him in the past… Like a 'use and throw' paper napkin! So if you expect him to believe that this time is gonna be different, you'll have to make an effort to convince him first…'_

"Well…you're wrong. I've pretty much dealt with my past and hence don't feel the need to cry over it. Yes… I screwed up with Edward, but that's not the reason why I'm crying now. I'm actually crying because I just realized how much I've missed you. And also, because it just felt so overwhelmingly good to see my best friend once again…" I replied quietly. "But… it's kinda obvious that you don't necessarily feel the same way…"

That seemed to rattle his composure. He looked stunned… his angry eyes softened with something akin to tenderness for a moment before they hardened once again…

"Yeah right!" he scoffed bitterly. "Am I expected to buy that? After you've conveniently ignored me for SIX years? Really Bella, couldn't you come up with a better ploy than that? I mean, sure…I am a fool… but not 'that' much of a fool."

My heart sank with despair. For a brief moment there, I'd actually thought that I'd succeeded in making a small dent in his resentment…but… no such luck…

Suddenly, I wasn't so sure that talking to him about my broken marriage to Edward… when he was in this frame of mind was a good idea.

'_No Shit, Sherlock!! That's a brilliant piece of deduction if I do say so myself!! What're you, dumb?? Of course it isn't a good idea!! Just look at him! He looks pissed as hell! Does he look like he's in the mood for a boatload of shit to be dumped on his head?? Besides, you have more important things to do right now… Like apologizing to him and mending your relationship with him… the rest can be dealt with later!_

_You already know that this conversation is going to be heart wrenching… for both of you. The least you can do is wait till you're both feeling a little less stressed out about it! Now, can we just get on with the rest of the program?'_

"I meant every word when I said that I missed you… because I did. Every single minute of every single day… I'm sorry if you don't believe me but it's the truth." I said softly. "But most importantly, I'm sorry that I treated you so badly. I know I hurt you and I really regret doing so… more than you'll ever know!"

I must have managed to communicate some bit of my sincerity to Jacob because he was finally beginning to look a little uncertain.

"But… if what you say is right, how do you justify not even contacting me to let me know you were alive?!? What… did you not think I'd want to know? Or did you just think it wasn't important enough?? How could you let me go on thinking for six years that you were dead and still claim to have cared for me and missed me?! I mourned you Bella… I wept for you! I blamed myself for not saving your life!!"

The pain…the anguish in his voice just about broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes… But, before I could say anything, the true meaning behind his words sunk in…

"What… WHAT?!? What're you saying Jake?? Are you saying that you didn't know about me and Edward? That you didn't know that I was still alive?? How could you not have known? Charlie knew… he's always known! And Charlie is Billy's best friend! The same Billy who is your Father!! How could you not have known??"

Throughout my slightly hysterical outburst, there was a gradual but visible thaw in Jake's attitude until, towards the end of it; there was a huge grin on his face.

"You didn't know that I didn't know? You didn't purposely hide it from me? You were actually under the impression, all this time that I already knew??"

All I could do through his rapid-fire round of questions was either nod or shake my head dumbly.

He suddenly let out a wild whoop of delight and ran full tilt towards me… picking me up and twirling me around like crazy, laughing joyously all the while! I held on to his shoulders for dear life but I couldn't help joining him in his infectious laughter…even though I had absolutely no idea why he was laughing! Finally when I was about to collapse from dizziness, he lowered me back to the ground and pulled me into one of his infamous bone crushing bear hugs.

And even though I couldn't breathe, I wouldn't have changed anything about that moment for any reason in the whole world!! I couldn't have been happier than I was, right then, right there…in that moment…with my best friend!

He pulled back to look at me and the transformation on his face was amazing. The rigid, cold, in-control Jake had disappeared completely…almost like he'd never even existed and in his place stood 'MY' Jake!

He let out another whoop of joy and I couldn't keep the smile off my face… yup… he was back! My crazy, fun-loving best friend was back! After six years apart, we'd somehow…against all odds…found our way back to each other…

"Soooo Mr. Happiness, you mind letting me in on your little secret here? I still want to know how you could've been so totally unaware about my situation…"

"Oh…yeah….Funny story that…" Jake started fidgeting around… making circles in the sand with his feet, refusing to look me in the eyes… "Well you see… when you left with Cullen, I kinda had a hard time dealing with the whole thing and I might have told Charlie to never ever mention your name to me again… and so he didn't tell me, I guess…" he finished sheepishly.

"Well…that…was the… I don't even know what to say… Shit, Jake… You do know that you're a complete dork at times right?" I teased him, laughingly.

"Yeah, yeah… laugh it up funny-girl! Laugh at my expense, why don't you? What else do I exist for if not your amusement?" He said, pretending to be very hurt by my amusement.

That took care of my laughter. "Hey, I really am sorry for hurting you, you know that right? I wish I could take back all the things that I've ever done that caused you even the tiniest pain… if I could go back in time and change my behavior, trust me, I would…"

"Hey Bella… its okay. I was just kidding… Don't sweat it, really. Yes things were bad back then, but this is now. We can't really change the past, so let's just focus on the here and now, ok?"

"Really? You're sure it's okay?" I asked him hopefully.

"Hmmm… lemme see… Do you promise that you won't lose your common sense and behave like a crazy person this time?"

"Oh Jake… Don't even kid to me about that stuff please!! Of course I promise to behave myself. And I won't ever hurt you again, I swear! I'll do anything! But I just want my best friend back!"

He'd worded the previous request so somberly that I'd actually believed that he was serious about it and I'd been sincerely trying to convince him of my intentions. But the moment I saw the smile lurking on his face, I knew that he'd played me…

"Very Funny Jake!! I'm so glad my sincerity amuses you!" I huffed in irritation.

"Or… how about, we set up some ground rules if… just to make things easier for you. Like, let's see… Rule number one – No dating ancient guys or even older guys for that matter… try younger guys; I've heard they're a lot of fun! Rule number two – Any crazy suicidal ideas are a strict no no… alright?"

"Oh just forget it! here I am trying to mend fences, and all you can do is joke about it?? Real nice…"

"Sorry Bells… please don't me mad at me? You know me, I just couldn't help myself! But, on a more serious note, just the fact that you said 'sorry' means a lot to me. You know what? We're going to be just fine, you and I… it may take a while to get back to where we were, but I can promise you, right now, at this very moment… that we'll be fine!"

The moment he called me 'Bells' was the exact moment that I knew that everything was right in my world once again. But when Jake assured me that we'd be able to get back to the way we once were, I just couldn't control my joy and it was my turn to give him a hug of my own.

It was probably the first time that I'd hugged him of my own free will… without any coercion or any threats or heart rending goodbyes hanging over our heads… and the feeling was all the more precious because of it…

"What in the name of all that is holy is going on here?!?"

Oh Shit!! That was Leah's voice… and she sounded pissed!

I slowly extracted myself out of Jake's embrace and turned around to face the Queen Bitch herself...

'_Uh Oh…it's not just Leah… the whole pack is here!! And they're all glaring at me!! Why, oh why couldn't things ever be easy for me?' _

Jake pushed me behind him, shielding me with his body, and slowly moved forward till he was standing between me and the rest of the pack.

"Jake, what the hell is she doing here?" Leah demanded. The emphasis she put on the 'she' implied that I was either some kind of a filthy, disgusting bug or a mass murdering psychopath!

'_Nice…'_

Then, without giving Jake the opportunity to reply, she turned to me and yelled, "Wasn't I clear enough when I said that you weren't welcome here? What part of 'Stay the Hell away from us' don't you understand?? In fact, you still haven't answered the question I asked you the other day…why are you even here? Why aren't you off enjoying all of eternity with your fucking leech?"

Till that moment, Leah had managed to intimidate me with her aggression, making me cower behind Jake but it all changed the moment she reminded me of her behavior in the hospital! She'd actually tried to keep me away from visiting my dad… while he was in the hospital… fighting for his life!!! Boy… was that a big mistake on her part…

'_Nobody… and I mean 'Nobody' messes with me and my own!! Its time she knew that once and for all! I think it's time to give Leah a taste of the new and improved Bella Swan! She might've scared me silly six years ago but not anymore…'_

I stepped out from behind Jake and got right in her face. "You know what Leah? Fuck YOU!! You might've managed to scare all 'Your Boys' with your tough girl act but you don't scare me! Oh yeah, and what was your question again? Why I am here, right? I'm here because my dad got shot, you bitch!! He almost died!!! Doesn't that matter to you at all??

No… I guess not! That doesn't fit into your neat plans, huh? Well, you know what? Too bad! Or maybe you'd like it if I asked him to apologize profusely to you for not thinking about your convenience before getting shot! I'm sure if he knew how my being here bothered you, he would've stayed the hell away from that particular burglary! I'll be sure to let him know about it…as soon as he regains consciousness, you know, for future reference!!"

I was so angry I was shaking from head to toe with it.

She at least had the grace to blush after hearing my tirade. But just because she didn't have any words in answer to my criticism, didn't mean she didn't have any for Jake.

"Jacob, I cannot believe that you can be so stupid as to allow this leech- lover to come here…on our turf!! What the hell is wrong with you?? The next thing you know, you'll be inviting the leeches here too…and having a welcome to La Push party for them!!" She scoffed in disgust.

And then she turned to me again…"And you know what… Fine! I get why you're back in Forks! But does that mean you have to come to La Push!?! UGH! And, I also get that you probably aren't going anywhere till Charlie recovers fully. But that doesn't mean that I have to tolerate your presence here!! So… just do me a favor and get off my land! NOW!! I can't believe you have the guts to come here when it's so clear that you aren't welcome here! Since when did you become so shameless?

Forget that… just tell me what I have to do to get the message through that thick skull of yours…throw you off the reservation? Don't think I won't do it… cos I will! And I'll enjoy every minute of it! And I won't even be alone…all the guys here will help me…that I am sure of! Well… maybe all the guys except Jake. He always was an idiot where you were concerned!

"Well I guess you're wrong then Leah…cos not everyone's on your side here. Whether Jake takes Bella's side against you or not, I know I definitely will!

I had to say; I was completely shocked by Embry's defense! Even though he'd been kinda nice to me a while back, I hadn't expected him to stand up for me against one of his own friends… pack members…

If I was surprised, Leah just seemed completely blown by Embry's words. In fact, I think that she wouldn't even have been as shocked if he'd suddenly announced that he was secretly a woman. But as his words registered, I noticed something other than shock and anger on her face. There was also an element of hurt and betrayal.

"Embry!" she looked as though he had just stabbed her in the back. "Do you even know what you're saying here? Are you even aware that you're going against the wishes of your whole pack here? That you're betraying your pack, your duty by supporting her?"

"Nope…wrong again!" Embry almost sounded cheerful…like he was enjoying proving Leah wrong. "I'm just going against your wishes! Something that everyone else here is too much of a wimp to do. But that's not important…what is important is that you seem to be forgetting that I'm actually the only one who's obeying my so called 'duty' here. Because I'm the only one here who's proudly supporting my alpha!"

Suddenly all eyes turned towards Jake who hadn't uttered a single word since the beginning of Leah's outburst. He calmly returned everyone's gaze before meeting my shocked one. His lips twitched slightly in amusement.

I sucked in a stunned breath. Whoa!! Jake was 'Alpha'!?! When did that happen?? How? And what happened to Sam?? Did he and Jake have a falling out or something? Wow! I really had missed out on a whole lot of things! Man I had a lot of catching up to do!!

'_OHHH… I guess THAT explains the increased warmth… the change in behavior… the decreased impulsiveness and the increased control over emotions…'_

Jake calmly stepped over between me and Leah and turned to each of us in turn. "You done, Leah? How about you, Bella? You got anything else to add or are you all yelled out now? Nothing? Good! That means that I can finally get heard here. Whew!" He shot us a totally annoying… condescending grin.

"All right people… Listen Up! There are apparently some misunderstandings here that need clearing up so I need everyone's complete attention for the next few minutes, okay?"

I could see the authority rolling off him in waves and it was obvious that everyone else felt it too… they were all quick to do as he said. If I'd still had any doubts as to 'who' was alpha… 'This display' would've definitely put them to rest…

"Turns out, that Bella here is no longer married to Cullen." Suddenly there were a lot of questions and exclamations breaking out all over the place. Jake let out a shrill whistle which resulted in complete silence once again.

"Just let me say my piece and then I promise you that there'll be plenty of time for all of your questions! Clear? Good… Now, before you ask… no, I don't know why or what happened. I'm sure she'll tell us when she's ready to do so. So please, respect her privacy! In the mean time, I don't see any reason any more for her not to visit La Push, do you?

And before you ask Leah… yes, I DO trust her. Completely… Why? Because I KNOW her… Is there anything else? No? Good. Now you know that I won't force any of you, but I think it wouldn't hurt us to be friendly to each other again… I also know that all of you are wary of Bella's presence but I do hope that you'll find it in your heart to forgive her… I know I have…"

"Way to go Jake! I'm with you all the way man!" Embry hollered.

The others… with the notable exceptions of Embry and Seth… weren't as enthusiastic or supportive, but at least they weren't as openly hostile as last time. Even Quil appeared somewhat okay with my presence. Not Leah though… she was still very resentful…

"I can't believe you Jake! What is it going to take for you to finally see her for what she is, huh?? Did you not learn your lesson last time? Did she not hurt you badly enough when she broke your heart? Are you ever going to learn to cut her out of your life for good?!?" Leah yelled at Jake before rounding on the rest of the pack.

"And the rest of you… have you all forgotten what she did to Jake the last time?? Have you all forgotten how she almost broke him… how we almost LOST him!?! How could you not remember?? I can't believe that you're all just going to forgive her so easily…"

Leah's words sickened me to my core… Oh God… what had I done?!? How many lives had I ruined? Edward… Jacob… Charlie… apparently the whole pack… Alice… Esme… Jasper… Would there ever be a time in my life when I wouldn't have to feel guilty about something or the other??

Leah turned her wrath on me. "I don't know what it is about you that makes everyone around you want to worship the ground you walk on… If I didn't know better, I'd say that you could cast some sort of spell over people or something! Frankly, I don't care!! All I know is that I'm not just gonna stand by and let you ruin all of our lives once again! And I'm especially not going to let you ruin Jake's life…

So you better watch your back Swan…cos I'm going to be keeping both my eyes on you! Even one toe out of line and I'll have you on your butt so fast you won't even know what hit you, you hear me?!? And trust me, this is the one and only warning you're going to get!"

"Hey sis, just let it go for now. I'm sure Bella has no intention of hurting Jake this time… Let's just give her a chance, okay?"

I gave Seth a grateful smile for trying to intervene on my behalf and calm down his sister but Leah was having none of it.

"You stay the fuck out of this, Seth…I mean it! Hell…you're just as bad as Jake when it comes to her! In fact, you could actually be worse! At least he hated Cullen. You on the other had… idolized him!!"

Seth gave me an apologetic smile, as if wanted to say, "Hey… at least I tried!" I responded with a reassuring smile, trying to convey that I appreciated all his help.

"All right…all right ladies. As much as I'm sure the guys would love to see a cat fight here, let's just all cool off, alright?"

"Aww man Jake… You're such a spoilsport!! And just when things were about to get a little interesting…" Quil protested, much to Leah's displeasure.

She gave a menacing growl of displeasure and flounced off angrily, yelling "Fuck off, you bastards…"

A few minutes of deafening silence followed her departure, during which no one knew what to say…

It was broken by Quil's deadpan comment of, "Well, Bella, there's one person that you won't have to worry has changed in the last six years!!"

That definitely worked as a stress buster resulting in chuckles all around.

"Hey, Bells… you okay?" Jake asked me softly.

"I'm fine. I appreciate you trying to protect me but you really didn't have to. I'm a big girl now. I can handle Leah just fine."

"Oh yeah… Believe me, I noticed. And I have to say I was very impressed! It's so nice to finally see you stand up for yourself, Bells! It's been a long time coming… trust me! I just wish you could've been so gutsy six years ago… but then, as they say, better late than never!" Jake was sporting a proud smile on his face and that smile made me feel like I'd finally done something worthwhile in my life. I couldn't help thinking that I'd go a hundred more rounds with Leah just to be able to see that expression on Jake's face once again!

Our private moment was interrupted by Quil and Embry who came up on both sides of me and put their arms around my shoulders. As soon as I saw the smirks on their faces, I knew that I was in for some major ragging.

'_Oh Boy…'_

"Well, well…Em… that was an impressive display by our dear Isabella, don't you think? I mean, did you see the look on Leah's face when she got her 'balls' handed back to her on a platter?? Priceless, wasn't it? What I want to know Bella dear is when do we get to see a repeat episode?"

I rolled my eyes in amusement at Jake. God… how I'd missed the comic relief that the pack brought to my life…

"Screw that… what 'I' want to know is if Bella here would be willing to take classes on Leah bashing? I think they'd do wonders for the whole pack, don't you? Just tell me where to sign up…"

Jake's whole body was shaking with quiet laughter… it felt so good to be a part of this once again… to share a laugh with him, just like the old times…

And apparently Quil and Embry were not yet done with their stand-up routine. Quil continued where Embry had left off.

"Oh no… forget that… what I want to know is if Bella has any idea how hot she looked standing up to Leah like that? In fact, I'm still quite turned on right now… aren't you Em?"

I gasped in outrage and immediately felt a blush bloom on my face. Just like that, the smile on Jake's face evaporated.

"All right guys, that's it for today. Wrap it up, come on! And get outta here, go on! I have to drive Bella home."

"Oh yeah… I do have to leave. Renee must've come home from the hospital by now and there's probably no one sitting with Charlie. I should go there. The doctors think that he could wake up any moment now and I don't want him to be all alone when he does..."

"Alright Bells. I'll come with you. I haven't visited Charlie anyway."

"What are you talking about, Jake? Weren't you there just yesterday night?"

"Yes, yes… 'THANK YOU' for reminding me, Seth. Anyway, you ready to go Bella?"

He once again refused to meet my gaze and strode away in the direction of the car. I struggled to hide my grin and hurried through my goodbyes to all the guys assuring them that I'd be back soon to spend some quality time with them.

I had to run along behind Jake, his long legs made short work of most distances and he'd already reached the car and got the engine idling by the time I'd covered even half the distance…

Just as I was reaching the car, Embry hollered, "Hey vampire girl! We're thinking of having a bonfire on the beach tomorrow night. You wanna come?"

I turned around to him and responded, "Do me a favor okay? Don't ever call me vampire girl again!" My declaration was met with lots of wolf whistles and a huge round of applause. Once the noise settled down, I continued. "About the bonfire, I'll have to see. A couple of my friends from London are here. I'll have to see what their plans are. I'll talk to them and let you know, alright?"

"Oh please, get them along… we don't mind…especially not if any of them are even half as hot as you are…" Quil was quick to respond.

"Well… Lisa can definitely be classified as hot but I'm not sure that Dylan's exactly your type." I answered him sweetly and with a straight face.

The loud burst of laughter behind me faded into the background as I climbed quickly into the car.

"What took you so long?" Jake asked impatiently taking off as soon as my door was closed and my seat belt fastened.

"Nothing… just your friends…clowning around like usual!"

"Well… you don't need to entertain them every time. They're big boys… they can handle the disappointment!"

"What?!? What does that mean??"

"Nothing… Just forget it! What did they want?"

"Hmmmpf… they wanted to invite me and my friends to the bonfire you guys are having tomorrow night."

"Bonfire? What bonfire? This is the first I've ever heard of it…"

"Really? That's strange… Oh… I hope it wasn't a surprise or anything like that!"

"I'm sure it wasn't… so, you coming?"

"Well… I'll have to talk to Lisa and Dylan first. And to Renee… I don't know yet if she's gonna need me to sit with Charlie. But if all goes well… sure, I'll come. It'll be fun to catch up with everyone once again. I haven't even had the time to touch base with Emily and Kim… or with Billy for that matter. This'd be the perfect opportunity to meet all of them, you know?"

As I wound to a stop, I realized that Jake wasn't paying attention to what I'd been saying. In fact he wasn't even paying attention to the road. He was just staring at me with a weird, spaced out look in his eyes.

"Jake? Jake ?? Earth to Jake!" He snapped out of his trance and quickly focused his attention back on to the road. "Yeah, that's right... just watch the road buddy! We do not need another accident on our hands right now!!And what is the matter with you? Why were you staring at me like that? Is there something wrong with my face or something?"

My question appeared to fluster him for a moment before he regained his composure again. Then, suddenly he had a serene smile on his face that I knew…somehow… didn't bode well for me…

"Uh…no… nothing's wrong with your face. In fact, it's just about perfect!"

I couldn't help wishing desperately that in all the things that I'd apparently learned to do in the last six years, I'd been able to learn how not to blush at such comments! Damn my stupid, fair skin! I could actually 'feel' the redness on my face in that moment!

"Ahhh… there it is… Beautiful…"

"You… you… you actually said that on purpose so that I'd blush!?! That's just… mean… and rude and… and evil!! Yes, that's it… you ARE evil!!" I spluttered in indignation, hitting his arm ineffectually.

Jake just roared with laughter… the devil! Apparently, he found my indignation amusing!! UGH!!

Thankfully, before he could think up more ways to humiliate me any further, we reached the hospital. As soon as he turned off the ignition, I got out of the car and made my way towards the hospital entrance in a huff… not even bothering to wait for him.

"Bells! Hey Bells… Wait up!"

"What?!? What do you want… further opportunities to embarrass me, maybe?"

He'd sneaked up behind me noiselessly and the moment I turned around to address him, he effortlessly lifted me up in a hug. "No honey. I just wanted to tell you that I've missed you! And that I'm incredibly, joyously happy that you're here!! Welcome home, Bells… welcome home!"

The heartfelt poignancy of his declaration robbed me of all the steam I'd built up and I just melted into his arms… hugging him back wholeheartedly.

The irritating buzz of my cell phone brought me tumbling down from the high of the moment and I took it out of my pocket intending to give Alice... who I was sure was calling just to check up on me… a piece of my mind about improving her sense to timing. But the LED display proved me wrong. I picked up the phone hesitantly, expecting a full-fledged lecture on how I was running late…

"Hey Mom… look I know I'm very late and I'm sor…"

"Bella!! Where the hell are you? Why aren't you here yet?? Oh… I don't know what to do… You need to be here… RIGHT NOW!! Oh God… Doctor… Nurse… somebody!!" She almost shrieked in my ear.

I almost felt my heart stop beating. Besides me, Jake, who could clearly hear her too… stiffened in alarm! We shared a look of raw panic before both of us began sprinting towards the hospital lobby almost as if by mutual agreement. Jake of course, reached much faster while I tried desperately to keep up. Meanwhile I was still trying to decipher the reason behind Renee's frantic phone call.

"Mom… calm down! What happened? Is Dad alright? Say something! MOM!! Talk to me, damn it!!"

"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry! Don't worry, baby… everything's just fine. I just panicked there for a moment because I didn't know what to do when your Dad suddenly opened his eyes... I'm sorry if I scared you honey. Just… try to get here as soon as you can. Charlie's awake and he's asking for you!!"

'_Oh Thank God!!'_

**A/N: - So here it is people… the B/J reunion that you've all been so eagerly looking forward to! I really, really hope that it was worth the long wait. And yes, I am aware that I'm being mean in not telling you the big reason behind the B and E split-up… but…well… that's my ploy to keep your interest peaked! Is it working?? Don't fret… you'll come to know soon… hopefully in the next couple of chapters… although there's really no guarantee! :) **

**Oh, by the way, to all you wonderful reviewers out there, I want to point out that I've tried very hard to take your suggestions into consideration and made some changes/improvements to my writing style. Accordingly, this chapter has less of 'thoughts' and more of 'conversations'! Hope this makes it a better read! Let me know if you like this… or even if I need to make any further changes. Am always looking forward to constructive criticism… :) **

**Anyway, as usual… a huge 'Thank you' to my wonderful beta's Cheryl and Ashley (augustblack)!! Really, where would I be without them?**

**Ladies… this is as much your story as it is mine and it is all of your brilliant ideas and suggestions that keep the creative juices flowing! Thank you so much… for everything!! Your contribution is invaluable!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! **

**Also, in case you haven't read Ashley's stories, please do so… right now! They are all published on FF and the links are available on her profile page! **

**Lastly, comes the 'begging' for reviews part… Guys, please, please, please review!! It makes me wanna update faster, honestly! Whatever you want to say… Question, comments, suggestions… they are all welcome! And I promise that I'll reply to each and every one of you… if you sign your reviews, that is. Anyhooo… Just lemme know…Cos, unless you do, how will I know how I'm doing…? **


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

**Disclaimer: - Okay, I was recently reading a lot of material on the net about whether fanfiction is a copyright violation and since I didn't really understand the legal mumbo-jumbo AND since I desperately cannot afford to be sued, I thought I'd better clarify some facts before I go any further. They are as follows: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters within. They are the sole property of Stephanie Meyer and I intend no copyright infringement by any of the material that I post here on this site. I am simply playing around with them for my own pleasure and hopefully the pleasure of some of the other, similarly crazy people out there. I intend to return them to SM the moment I finish playing with them, and in the exact same condition I borrowed them in… Hope that clarifies things for everyone concerned. Now on to the story…**

BPOV

Jacob and I burst through the elevators on Charlie's floor and made a beeline for Charlie's room as if we were being chased by the hounds of hell themselves. We paid no heed to the admonishments and reprimands of the nurses as well as the other hospital personnel resulting in a lot of 'shushes' following in our wake…

I only slowed down once I saw Renee pacing back and forth through the corridor right outside Charlie's hospital room. My heart sank to the ground once again... for the second time in as many minutes…

'_Uh Oh… what now?'_

As soon as she saw me, she extended her arms towards me. I walked into them, hugging her tightly… noticing the tremors wracking her body with growing trepidation.

"Mom, what happened? What's wrong? Why aren't you with Dad? Is something the matter? Why are you trembling? Didn't you just tell me that he's awake?" I bombarded her with questions…not even pausing long enough for her to answer. I was beginning to freak out once again…

"Oh yes, honey. He's alright. Don't worry… everything is fine. I'm just relieved is all… and recovering from a shock! There I was, one moment, talking to an unconscious Charlie…telling him to wake up soon… and the very next moment, his eyes were wide open! It was quite startling… let me tell you. But enough of that… The Doctor is with him now. In fact, he's the one who told me to wait outside."

A wave of relief crashed through me… suddenly making me feel weak in the knees. Just before my legs gave out on me, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around me… taking my full weight, supporting me, easily… almost as if I was as light as a feather…

"Whoa…steady there Bells. Come on…let's sit down, okay?"

Renee's attention immediately shifted from me towards Jake and the expression on her face underwent an almost comical transformation.

"Mom, you remember Jake?"

"Of course I do! Who could forget little Jacob Black, huh? You guys were inseparable when you were toddlers, Bella. I remember that he was your 'self-appointed' guardian… a protector of sorts. And he used to take his job very seriously too. Woe betide anyone who messed around with you!

God, I can still remember you both, toddling around behind each other… sleeping in the same crib. My god, look at you now!! Who could call you little anymore, huh? You're all grown up… And how is it possible that you keep growing taller every time I see you??"

I found Renee's comment to be incredibly ironic. Here we were… Jake and Bella… both of us, all grown up… both far from toddlers now but Jake was 'still' my guardian… even after all this time! I guess some things in life never change…

Jake gave Renee a dazzling grin, bending down to press a loud, smacking kiss on her cheek. "Hiya Renee! Gosh, it's so nice to see you again… although I do wish it were under better circumstances. You haven't changed one bit. I don't know how you do it, but you've actually grown even more beautiful than the last time I saw you. You're still with Phil, huh? When're you going to come to your senses and run away with me, huh?"

I couldn't believe it… Renee was actually blushing…

'_Wow! So I guess my Mom isn't very immune to his charm either… no wonder I never stand a chance when I'm around him!! On the other hand, I can now safely say that my perpetual blushes are hereditary! Whew… that's a load off my mind!'_

"Oh stop it…you! I see you're just as incorrigible as you always were. You do realize that I'm old enough to be your mother, right?"

"Oh sweetheart, when are you ever going to realize that when it comes to love, age has never mattered?" He gave me a very sarcastic smirk as he said that. "Wouldn't you agree, Bella?"

Thankfully I didn't have to bother with a reply. Renee kind of beat me to the punch. "Oh Hush! Don't tempt me or I might just take you seriously."

Jake chuckled delightedly. "Please do… I can't believe I'm finally succeeding after trying for so long!"

And I couldn't believe that I was actually feeling so envious of the easy way Renee and Jake were interacting with each other! For God's sakes…She was my mother! My very own mother!! When had I become so desperate? God, but why couldn't he look at me that way… so adoringly? Why couldn't he talk to me like that… so lightheartedly??

'_He did… or rather… he used to! In the past… Don't tell me you forgot that already?? There was a time when you were his whole world, you stupid girl! But you couldn't handle it… no… you had to go and ruin it all! Break his heart… stomp all over it! Is it any wonder now that he won't do the same again? He's moved on… he doesn't feel that way about you any more… he doesn't need you like he did!'_

And that is precisely how it should be… precisely what I had always wanted for him… but then, if that was true… why was I having this feeling of overwhelming despair just at the thought of him moving on with his life?

I shook myself out of my depressing thoughts and discovered that Renee and Jake were still chatting animatedly. The topic of conversation had now moved on to Phil and their life in Florida.

"Oh we're both fine. Phil is busy…as usual, you know? Training, practice… and all that… and 'I' have become the perfect socialist. Me…can you believe it?" Renee laughed self-deprecatingly. "But I'll have you know that my parties are considered 'the must attend events' of the season! People die to be seen at my parties. And Florida is great. I love the weather! None of this sad, depressing stuff out there… Only sunshine and warmth… Even when it rains, it blows over quickly." Renee couldn't stop gushing.

"And what's a thunderstorm or two huh? Or even a hurricane? Or a tornado, right? " Jake asked teasingly.

"Believe me; anything's preferable to this incessant drizzle you've got going here! Ugh! It gets on my nerves, honestly."

And… right now, 'they' were getting on 'my' nerves! I couldn't help feeling like they were socializing at a party or something. And it looked like they had totally forgotten about Charlie… and me. What in the world was that about!?!

"Well… that's all great and all…but can we talk about all this later? Don't we have more important things to deal with right now? Like my Dad's imminent recovery from a near fatal shooting?? Or have you guys forgotten all about Charlie?" I interrupted, hastily before either of them could get started again.

"Umm… no… You're right honey. Let's go see how Charlie's doing. Anyway, you were the first person he asked about when he woke up. Followed by Jake and Billy, of course… Speaking of whom, where is that crazy, old man of yours, Jake? You did let him know that Charlie's awake, right?"

"Oh crap Billy!! I totally forgot about him… He's gonna kill me!" Jake took his cell phone out of his pocket and hurriedly dialed a number... addressing me distractedly. "Bells, you guys go on ahead. I'm gonna make a quick call to Billy and then arrange for someone to get him here, okay? I'll be right behind you… don't worry."

Renee and I quietly peeked in on Charlie and were waved in by the doctor who was still examining him. The sight that greeted us as we entered the room made me feel weak-kneed with relief. Because… even though he was still surrounded by beeping machines and IV lines, Charlie was very much awake and alert... and already cribbing to the doctor – something about being held against his will and unconstitutional behavior… and lawsuits…

I couldn't help but be amused by his behavior… once a cop, always a cop I guess. Oh Well… time to go and put the doctor out of his misery…

"Daddy! You're awake!" I walked up to his side and took his hand in mine. I was thrilled beyond belief when he gave it a weak squeeze.

"Hey, baby girl…"

He sounded weak and hoarse.

"How do you feel?"

"Uh… Like I've been shot?" He joked weakly.

"Oh Daddy, Please… don't even joke about a thing like that. Do you have any idea how worried we were? You gave us quiet a scare you know? I don't know what I would've done if something had happened to you. Don't you ever do that to me… ever again!"

"Alright, alright… Jeez! Have some mercy on your old man, Bells. I'm just recovering from several gunshot wounds. Don't you think that shouting at me… now… is going a little overboard?"

"Oh God Dad…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell at you. I was just so worried about you."

"I know honey… I know. Don't worry though… I'm fine, see? It's gonna take more than some stupid trigger-happy thief with a penchant for guns to do me in…"

I noticed that the doctor was still prodding him with a stethoscope… making notes on his chart…

"So Doc, what's the verdict? How is he doing?"

"Oh, Ms. Swan, the Chief here is doing quite well. He certainly woke up much earlier than I expected. He is nowhere close to being completely healed of course, but the progress he has made in such a short time is nothing short of amazing! You, Chief Swan, are one lucky man!"

Charlie gave a weak laugh at the Doctor's comment. "Oh yeah, I can see how you'd think that being shot three times is lucky, I guess."

"Of course I wasn't talking about you getting shot when I made that comment Chief! I was actually referring to the fact that less than a week later you're awake and out of danger…That is nothing short of miraculous! I never expected you to make such a quick recovery."

"Alright, alright… I get it. You don't need to rub in the fact that I had a close call… I already know it! By the way Doc, you never answered my question. When can I go home?"

The doctor had a trapped look on his face, like he'd been trying to avoid answering that question all this while but knew that he had no other option now… that he'd reached the end of his grace period. He finally gave a resigned sigh before addressing Charlie cautiously.

"Not so fast Chief. Let's take it one day at a time, okay? You went through a tough ordeal and your body needs time to heal – especially at your age. So, just take it easy for now… we'll discuss you're discharge in a week's time, no sooner… "

"Are you calling me old Doc?"

"Oh, no… I wouldn't dare!" It was hilarious to see the doctor slowly backing out of the room with both his hands held high in surrender… like he was expecting Charlie to jump up off the bed and place him under arrest. He looked at me helplessly.

I finally took some pity on him and gave Charlie a stern look. "Alright Dad… quit scaring the doctor. Just a while ago, you were referring to yourself as old. How is 'that' any different than what the doctor just said?? He's only trying to look out for you. And you are not going anywhere till he says you can, anyway! So you better learn to deal with it!"

The doctor looked intensely grateful for my intervention and took this moment to take his leave. "Anyhow, I'll allow you to visit with your family now. I'll be back for another check-up later in the day. Meanwhile, if you need anything, just let the nurses know."

Jake slipped into the room quietly at about the same time as the doctor left. I noticed that though Charlie looked happy to see Jake, he kept throwing covert glances between the two of us… expecting some sort of backlash or an explosion from either of us at the very least. I could see the gears in his head turning when everything continued to be peaceful. The confusion increased when he saw the smile on Jake's face when he happened to look my way.

"Sooo… anyone want to tell me what's going on here? Did I wake up in some sort of alternate reality here? Are you guys actually being civil to each other?"

"Well Charlie, Bella and I had a nice, long talk during which we managed to clear some long standing misunderstandings… and now… let's just say that we understand each other much better."

"So, you're trying to tell me that you kids have made up… after all this time?" Charlie looked completely dumbfounded by the declaration.

"Um Hmmm… that's exactly what we're saying, right Bells?" Jake walked up to me to give me a one-armed hug. I looked up, to give him a quick grin and then spared a worried glance at Charlie to gauge his reaction.

"Well…it's about damn time if you ask me! I'd got tired of walking on eggshells around both of you… not being able to even mention either of your names in the other's presence… Ridiculous!!! Friends should never hold grudges for so long, in my opinion. If it had been in my power, I'd have locked both of you up in a jail cell till you sorted out your differences six years ago! But unfortunately Renee here and Billy wouldn't let me interfere. Well… what can I say? At least one good thing came out of this whole mess…"

"Hey Charlie, if I didn't know better, I'd say you got shot on purpose… just to get Bella and me to reconcile with each other." Jake said jokingly.

"Hmmmpf… If I'd thought about it, I just might've done it too!"

"Uh Oh Bells… we better not fight with each other…ever again. We never know what your Dad might end up doing the next time."

I couldn't be totally sure, but I thought that Charlie looked a little misty eyed seeing us almost back to our normal selves. As for me, I couldn't have been happier than I was just now… surrounded by my family. And yes… no matter what; Jake always had been and always would be… family.

But Charlie, being Charlie just had to go and ruin the moment.

"So Jake, has my daughter told you yet that she is no longer married?"

I stiffened in alarm! I had a sinking feeling that I knew where this conversation was going to end up…

"Yes… she mentioned it, Charlie…" Jake answered easily.

"So… What do you plan to do about it?"

'_Oh no… he didn't! He couldn't…How… How… How could he??'_

"DAD!!" I was mortified beyond belief!

"What?!? I was just wondering… this boy was crazy about you six years ago… Those kind of feelings don't just go away! But knowing both of you like I do, I'm sure that neither of you would be able to bring this topic up. I didn't want you kids to lose out on this second chance that you seem to have gotten, that's all. So I decided to just nudge you guys in the right direction! Now, you tell me, what's so wrong about that?!?

'_GOOD LORD!! Just…kill me now! I don't care how you do it! A random stroke of lightening, an accidental drowning in the bathtub, tripping and falling all the way down to hell…whatever! Just put me out of my misery!'_

Jake on the other hand seemed to be thoroughly enjoying my discomfort. He had an amused smirk on his face and was looking towards me out of the corner of his eyes…

'_UGH! Just you wait, Jacob Black! Just wait till I get you alone! You're gonna regret every laugh you had at my expense, I swear! I…I… I'm… I'm gonna wax off every single bit of hair off of your body!!! Let's see how you enjoy that experience! And let's see how people react to a hairless, 'alpha' werewolf!! HA!!' _

Some of my murderous thoughts must've been reflected on my face because Jake suddenly didn't look all that amused anymore. He looked like he was nervous all of a sudden…as well he should be! He interrupted my thoughts by clearing his throat loudly. When I reluctantly met his eyes, I couldn't help the feeling that he knew exactly what I was thinking… how I was, at that very moment, plotting his untimely demise or at the very least a full body wax job…

"Uh… Charlie, Bella doesn't seem to be too comfortable with the tone of this conversation. How about we continue this discussion later, when it's just the two of us, huh?"

'_No, no, no, no, NO!! That is a terrible idea!! The absolute worst idea of the entire decade! I don't want them to have this conversation later. And I especially don't want them to have it in my absence. God only knows what ideas… what thoughts my father would end up putting in Jake's mind. Good God, this is a disaster of gigantic proportions just waiting to happen! I have to come up with some way to prevent it… even if I have to commit murder to do so!'_

While I was having this mini-heart attack… this stroke, Jake, the idiot… looked like he was over his nervousness once again and veering right back towards amusement. In fact, he looked like he was having the time of his life. Even though he was trying to be serious, the twinkle in his eyes was a dead giveaway… betraying his true feelings on the subject. Oh yeah… the bastard was enjoying every minute of my mortification.

"Oh all right! If Bella's so uncomfortable with it… then I guess I'll just have to wait." Charlie, somehow, managed to sound extremely disgruntled even while trying to give in graciously…

'_Unbelievable!'_

"Hey! Look who decided to finally wake up and grace us with his presence. By the way, I've decided to change your name to 'Sleeping Beauty' hence forth. How do you like the sound of that?" Billy boomed out loudly.

'_Oh Thank God! Saved by Billy's strategic arrival… I'll have to remember to bake him a pie… or ten… later on…just to thank him for rescuing me from this hell.'_

"You?? Who the hell let you in here?? What kind of a hospital is this?? Letting in riff-raff into their premises without even considering the effect it would have on their so-called 'patients'… Did they want me to get better or worse??" Charlie growled mock-angrily at Billy.

"Yeah, yeah… say what you want…but I know you missed me, you old coot! And guess what, you even missed the NBA finals… Ha! What did I tell you!?! The Lakers beat the shit outta the Magics! Didn't I already warn you this was gonna happen?? But no…the high and mighty Charlie Swan can never be wrong about such things! God, how I wish you'd been there to watch the games with me… Gloating right then would have been so much better."

"Yeah right! You just got lucky, old man. If I'd been there to watch the games, the Magics wouldn't have lost in the first place. Shows how much you know about such stuff…"

And so it continued… the argument between the two slowly descending into utter chaos… getting louder by the minute.

Finally I had to intervene. "Guys, guys, GUYS…

Nothing! No response… no reduction in noise levels… in fact, no acknowledgement of any sort that they'd even heard my voice. I looked helplessly towards Jake, asking him wordlessly to do something about it! He gave me a reassuring smile and just let lose a huge bellow "Hey, CUT IT OUT."

That certainly got their attention and shut them both up right quick. I shot Jake a grateful smile and took over the disciplinary lecture.

"What were you guys thinking?? Behaving like a couple of 7 years olds! This is a hospital for heaven's sake. Do you want to get thrown out of a here?!? No? Then keep your bloody voices down! Honestly! You are disrupting the peace and quiet of the whole building and all the people in it. Some of these people are very sick and they need to rest. I cannot believe that I'm actually disciplining my own father here… who, by the way… don't forget… is the chief of police… Sheesh!!

Thankfully, they both looked sufficiently chastened.

I glared at Charlie. "And you! I cannot believe you! You're recovering from a major injury here. You are 'supposed' to be resting… conserving your energy… not fighting. I'm warning you right now, if I feel… even for one minute, that you're doing yourself more harm than good, I'm gonna send Billy away… and he won't be allowed to visit you here anymore. Do I make myself clear?!?"

Then I turned my attention towards Billy. "Now…do you want to visit with Charlie or not?" He nodded sulkily, refusing to meet my eyes. "Good… then you better behave, you hear? I don't want another peep out of either of you… not one!"

Jake was laughing at the expressions on Charlie and Billy's faces. "Wow Bells, you're very strict… and unbelievable scary! Look at our old men… have you ever known either of them to be so quiet? I already pity any kids you'll ever have. Man, they're going to have to behave all the time, aren't they?"

Jake's comment came out of nowhere… ripping millions of holes in my carefully constructed armor. Even after all this time, it was like an open wound… raw and bleeding. I drew in a shocked breath and tried not to let the hurt, the pain that comment caused show on my face. I don't think I was entirely successful though… especially not if the puzzled frown on Jake's face was any kind of indication…

"You okay, Bells?" Jake's concern felt like the final straw… bringing my already overwrought emotions boiling to the surface. I could feel the dam inside me threatening to give way.

'_Not here not now not yet…' _

Thankfully, before I broke down completely, my cell phone buzzed again and I grabbed the opportunity gratefully to make a quick escape…

"Bella! Where are you?"

"Hey Alice" I rubbed my forehead tiredly trying to alleviate the headache that had sprung up suddenly, out of nowhere. The hurt, the resignation I felt must've been evident in my voice because she immediately began to sound concerned.

"Bella, what's the matter honey? Are you alright? Did he do something to hurt you?? Do Jasper and I need to come and beat the shit out of that stupid mutt?"

A reluctant, half-hearted chuckle escaped my lips. "You totally have a one track mind, Alice, you know that, right? You're just looking for excuses to fight with him aren't you? Well… I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm still in one piece… totally safe and sound. So, unfortunately for you, you don't have to beat up anyone."

"Then why are you sounding so low honey?"

I sighed. Trust Alice to figure out exactly what I was feeling… and over a phone line no less!

"Nothing… Don't worry about it. We'll talk all about it once I get home, okay?"

"Oh alright… if you're sure."

"Yes… I am. Now... since I know for a fact that you weren't aware of my mood… was there any specific reason why you called?"

"Well, yes. You've been gone for so long and you didn't even call! Why didn't you call? You know how I hate not being able to see you!! Are you alright? You must be… since you're still with him."

"God Alice… Slow down! At least gimme a chance to answer some of your question! First things first, Charlie's awake!! That's where I am right now. That's the reason I haven't been home yet."

I had to hold the phone away from my ear to save my ear drums from Alice's squeal of joy.

"Oh I'm so glad he's awake! Is he alright? I so wish I could come and see him right this very second. Ugh! This stupid sunlight! Why does it always have to get in the way of all the really important things?" Her frustration came across loud and clear.

"Don't worry sweetie. I'm sure you'll see him soon enough. I'll be sure to let him know that you were asking about him, okay? And… yes, before you ask me, I am coming home soon… and no, I don't know yet who's gonna be driving me. Is that all or do you have any more questions for me?"

"Cool Bella… it almost seemed like you were the psychic there for a moment."

I had to laugh out loud at that. "I don't need to be psychic to predict your behavior Alice. When it comes to me, you are extremely predictable."

I heard an outraged gasp from the other end. "I cannot believe you just said that, Bella! I'm so hurt!! Please… forgive me for caring about you! Apparently you don't appreciate me looking out for you! Fine! I won't do it anymore!"

"Oh Alice… you missed your calling darling! You should've been in the movie biz… or at the very least… on Broadway."

The outraged, hurt pretense was dropped in an instant and replaced by a tinkling laugh. "I know, right? I am good, aren't I? And the saddest thing is… the world doesn't even know what it's missing!! Alas… nothing can be done about it now."

"You are crazy, you know that, right? Utterly, completely mad…"

"But you love me anyway, Bella… you know you do. Go on… admit it."

"Okay, okay… I love you! There… are you happy now?"

"Um hmmm… sublimely… Now get your ass home asap! You don't want your friends from London to think that you've abandoned them, do you?"

"Oh God! I totally forgot about them! How are they? What are they doing? Are they alright?"

"Don't you mean to ask… are they still alive? Or have I taken a bite out of them yet? I have to say, the boy… Dylan… does seem extremely tasty. If I didn't have Jasper to satisfy all my needs, I might've been tempted to… you know…"

I shuddered in revulsion. "God Alice, don't even joke about that… Seriously!"

"Okay, okay… I'm sorry. You're right, that was in extremely bad taste… but I'm sure you're friends won't be." She went off into peals of laughter…

"ALICE! Stop that… God! You're grossing me out here… not to mention, freaking me out a little bit! Was there something that you forgot to tell me about… like a drastic change in your diet, perhaps? Oh crap! Don't tell me you've suddenly turned into a meatetarian or something like that…"

"See? You can joke about it too. Good for you, Bella! I'm so proud of you. You've finally learned to take things in the right spirit."

"Yeah, yeah… now… getting back on topic, what have Dylan and Lisa been up to all this while?"

"Oh nothing… Once Jasper and I helped them settle down, they unpacked, showered and promptly fell asleep! They're quite boring actually. I've been keeping myself entertained by peeking into their futures. Do you want to know what I saw?"

"Alice, you're impossible!" I couldn't help laughing. "No, of course I don't wanna know!! And have you forgotten what we spoke about some time back about boundaries and peoples privacies?!?"

"Jeez Bella, don't lecture! I get it! I won't tell your friends I did it, okay? And next time I won't even tell you!"

I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "Forget it! I don't even know why I bother? Or why I expect you to change. Moving on, since Dylan and Lisa are asleep already, is it okay if I spend a little more time with Charlie before heading back home? It's just that… I haven't seen or spoken to him in so long. Please Alice… pretty please?"

'_Tut Tut Bella… since when did you become such an accomplished liar? If I didn't know any better, even I'd be completely convinced that the only reason you want to stay back is for Charlie's sake.'_

'_Shut Up! I'm not listening to you…'_

"Aww… of course you can honey. Just… answer one question, alright? This sudden desire to spend more time with Charlie… it wouldn't have anything to do with a certain male, alpha werewolf would it?"

'_Oops! Busted...'_

"Alice!" I gasped loudly, looking around unobtrusively for Jake's presence… hoping desperately that he hadn't been around to hear Alice's query. "I'm shocked! Why would you even imply such a thing? Do you think so little of me??"

'_Over the top, Bella… Waaay over the top!'_

'_Doesn't matter! I'm committed now… Deny, deny till the truth bites you in the ass… that's my motto.'_

'What is it with the people in my life today? Why is everyone hell bent on embarrassing me?'

"Oh that's fine...If you find the topic so embarrassing; you don't have to answer my question. Anyway I already know what your answer is!" Alice said, giggling madly like a school girl.

Damn! Here I go… blushing again… I have to end this call…right away… before I wind up digging myself any deeper into this. "Whatever! I gotta go now… before I die of sheer embarrassment! I'll see you later, okay? Just gimme a call if either Lisa or Dylan wake up before I get there. Bye Alice… See you soon."

I walked back into Charlie's room to see Charlie, Billy, Renee and Jake gossiping like old ladies about the happening of Forks and the reservation. The sight was hilarious…I couldn't help equating them to old ladies…gossiping the way they were. But a part of me was also enjoying their easy banter and comments without actually participating in it. Pretty soon we were informed by a harassed looking nurse that the visiting hours were over and that we'd have to leave as Charlie needed to rest.

"Alright Dad, you heard the nice lady. It's time for you to rest now. We'll be back tomorrow, right Mom? Till then, you get your beauty sleep and build up some more strength for your arguments with Billy?" I gave both of them quick winks… my own personal apology for shouting at them earlier.

"You ready to leave Bells? I've gotta give you a ride home, remember? You don't have a car."

'_Yes!! I get to spend some more time with him!!'_

"Uh Jake… what about me? I thought you'd be the one taking me home… I told Seth to leave as soon as he dropped me off expecting to catch a ride with you."

"Oh Shit! Uh… well… that's alright. We'll just drop off Bella first before we go home. That okay with you Bells?"

"Oh that's perfectly fine. I don't mind. In fact I have an even better idea! Why don't we drop Billy off first and then you can come home with me? I could make all of us some dinner, or something."

Jake's eyes lit up at the mention of dinner only to blink out again a few moments later. That's when I realized that with Alice and Jasper hanging out at my home, Jake wasn't likely to be very comfortable there. Would it be incredibly rude on my part if I told Alice and Jasper to leave… just for a little while…?

Before I could make up my mind, Jake took matter into his own hands. "Uh… maybe some other time Bells… I have some stuff to do later on…"

I couldn't say I wasn't disappointed but I also knew that I'd be putting all three of them in a tough situation, so I gave him a tiny smile to let him know that I understood.

"Hey, Jake, I just realized that you don't even have to drop Bella off... It's very stupid of me, but I'd forgotten that I'm going home anyways… and I have a car. I can easily take Bella home."

"Are you sure, Renee? Otherwise, it's no bother at all. I don't mind going a little out of the way." He sounded as disappointed as I felt. There went my chance to spend even a little more time with him… to have a personal conversation with him… Damn it! Why were there so many obstructions in our way? Since when had it become so difficult to spend some quality time with your best friend?

"Jake… its okay. You go on home and I'll hitch a ride with Renee. I'll call you later and then we'll see each other tomorrow anyway… at the bonfire, remember?"

I don't know who I was trying to console… Jake or myself… but I didn't seem to be having much of a success in either case.

"Oh so you'll definitely come then?"

"Yeah… I think so. I still have to talk to my friends, but I don't see why they should have a problem with it. How about I call you up tonight, after I speak to them and confirm?"

"Sounds good! Bye Bells… I'll miss you." He hugged me tightly.

"Alright… that's enough! Do you have to take it to such extremes? Just a few hours ago you guys weren't even talking to each other and now the thought of staying away from each other for a day makes you all lovey-dovey?! Good Lord, at this rate, I'll have to tell all of my deputies to keep both of their eyes on you while I'm stuck here. Who knows what you guys will get up to in my absence??"

"DAD!!"

God! I couldn't believe I was thinking this but I was almost starting to regret his having woken up right now!! Was there anything I could do to just shut him up??

"Relax old man! They're both adults now… or had you forgotten that? Your rules don't apply to them anymore. They can pretty much do whatever they want to do… they don't need you permission now."

'_Oh right… THAT was going to make things better?!? Thanks Billy… for nothing!'_

Charlie scoffed loudly. "Yeah right! Last I checked I was still Chief of Police here. I could have your son arrested, you know."

"On what grounds? For hugging your daughter?!? Yeah right! I'd like to see you try!!"

"Don't think I won't… because I definitely will! Your son better not test my patience."

"Oh really?!? 'My son'… as you so kindly put it… is not the only participant in 'said' hug! Your 'daughter' is an equally willing accomplice! So if you try anything funny, it's more than likely to backfire on you… Big Time! So, go ahead, do your worst. I dare you!!" Billy couldn't stop chuckling at his own cleverness. And 'I' felt embarrassed enough to melt into a great, huge puddle of shame!

"You want to know what I think? I think you're all talk and no action, old man! 'My son' can do anything that he wants to with 'your daughter' and you won't be able to do anything about it. I'll see to that personally. Now, you go ahead and kiss her, son!"

'_WHAT?!? Oh god! This is beginning to get waaaay out of hand! Is 'this' what hell would be like?'_

"What?!?" Yes exactly! Thank God, Jake seemed to agree with my sentiments. "Forget it! I'm not going to do that just to help you win an argument Dad. I'll only kiss her if and when I want to, not when you tell me to! But neither will I stay away from her just because you want me to, Charlie. This – whatever happens between us… is just that – between Bella and me. So you both better stay out of it!"

'That' right there was officially the most embarrassing moment of my life… EVER!

I was quickly starting to see the merit of having invisibility as a superpower! What with being surrounded by such friends and family… I would've loved being able to just fade out completely into the background right about now. The only problem with the scenario was that I wasn't a superhero – Damn and Double damn!

All things considered, I was almost glad to get out of the hospital even though I was a little disappointed that I would not be able to spend any extended time with Jacob.

'_Oh the sheer dumbness! Sometime I don't even know how you survive without me even for a minute. Use your brains, girl!! Feeling disappointed that you won't be spending more time with him… honestly!! You utter, misguided fool! As usual you're so wrapped up in the here and now that you're forgetting something critical. Something that could affect your whole relationship with Jake…_

_You should be thrilled to be getting off so easily, you idiot!! Or are you that desperate to go into the gory details of the breakup of your marriage? Okay, fine… go ahead. Tell him. See how that goes… How do think he'll react to your news, huh? How do you think he'll take it? Sure he's been surprisingly understanding about everything so far… so maybe he'll be okay with this too. NOT!! The longer this discussion gets prolonged the better… trust me. Now be a good girl and get out of here as quickly as you can.'_

It was jarring to realize that something so critical had slipped my mind so completely. God… I was so glad Jake didn't press me for any explanations tonight. And somehow, I'd managed to get a reprieve till tomorrow at least. Thank god! Of course that didn't mean that I wouldn't miss him… but I'd just have to suck it up and live with it.

Thankfully the time passed faster than I'd thought it would. I reached home to find Dylan and Lisa wide awake and arguing with each other over whose turn it was to make dinner. I intervened and offered to make it myself… anything to get them to shut up… just like I always did. I was starting to have a sneaking suspicion that they did that on purpose… fought with each other… just to get out of making dinner every time but I wasn't in the mood to do anything about it.

I took a quick shower and changed into sweats and my favorite t-shirt, tied my wet hair into a messy knot and hurriedly made my way downstairs. I decided to whip up some spaghetti… nothing fancy… and quickly assigned cutting and chopping tasks to everyone including Alice and Jasper.

What with Charlie's waking up and my making up with Jake, everyone was in a great mood. Thus it wasn't too long before the atmosphere in the kitchen turned boisterous… almost rowdy with everyone dishing dirt on everyone else and hurling 'friendly' insults at each other. Unfortunately, I was the butt of most of the jokes considering the fact that I was the common link between Alice, Jasper, Dylan and Lisa… but I didn't mind. Honestly, there were only a few things in the world that could ruin my mood tonight. Everyone kept going off into fits of laughter every few minutes and before anyone knew it, the food was ready and served.

Alice and Jasper put up an excellent show of finishing off what was on their plate and then excused themselves to go back to their place for the night. With Dylan, Lisa, Renee and I around, the tiny house was a little short on space and there wasn't enough room for all of us here and even though Alice and Jasper didn't actually require any sleep, appearances had to be kept up… so it turned out to be the best solution for everyone involved. I knew that they'd probably just end up visiting with Charlie and spending their time loitering around in the vicinity of the house in case I needed them during the night.

Renee, Dylan, Lisa and I spent the rest of the evening having a movie marathon. Sometime before I headed off to bed, I remembered that I had yet to call Jake to confirm our presence at the bonfire the next day. I hurried over to the phone and quickly dialed his phone number.

'_Oh how cute!! You still remember his number by heart! Isn't that just adorable? And you're even making up excuses to call him up just before going to bed… You could've done this at any point of time during the whole evening… but no… for some reason you chose to wait till the very last minute and that, my dear girl, is mighty suspicious! Admit it, you actually wanted to say goodnight. Awww!!'_

I completely ignored my inner monologue realizing that listening to it all the time would quickly and surely lead me down the path to utter madness.

I listened to the phone ring while trying to mentally decide what I was going to say. Just as I was sure no one was around and was about to hang up the phone, Jake answered with a slightly out of breath "Hello, Black residence."

I could hear a trace of laughter in his greeting. There was also a lot of laughter and commotion in the background on his side of the line.

"Umm… Hey Jake. Bella here."

"Hey Bells, what's up?"

Before I could say anything further, he burst out laughing. "Sammy! Leave the poor guy alone, will you?"

Suddenly I wasn't sure that calling him right then had been such a great idea. "Are you busy? Should I call later?"

"No, no… we can talk. Trust me. It's just the guys… fooling around, having a couple of drinks. You know, usual stuff… Tell me…"

Despite his reassurance, I couldn't help feeling a sense of unease…like I'd intruded on his life somehow. I figured, I'd quickly say what I had to and get off the line but before I could even open my mouth, there was a loud burst of laughter in the background followed by a lot of catcalls and wolf-whistles. Then for some reason, there were loud chants of "Jake, Jake, Jake…"

"Alright, alright. Hold on to your horses, fellows. I'll be right there."

I was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable by the minute… not to mention a little bit miffed by his obvious distraction and lack of attention to my call.

"Um, right… you're obviously busy. I won't take up a lot of your time. I just called to let you know that Dylan, Lisa and I will be there for the bonfire tomorrow."

"You will? That's great, Bells!" The pleasure in his voice as well as his enthusiasm for my news was unmistakable. I couldn't help feeling slightly better.

"Hey Guys, Bella and her friends will be attending our little soiree tomorrow." He called out loudly and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at his child-like glee. His end of the call was suddenly filled with a lot of 'Great's' and 'Awesome's'… and also a few 'Yay's'…

The smile on my face widened in response to the pack's obvious happiness at the prospect of my presence. I still couldn't get over their kindness and acceptance. Their capacity to love, forgive and forget was truly awe inspiring and humbling.

I'm sure Jake could hear the smile in my voice when I replied, "So, I guess I should let you go now. You continue with your celebrations… or whatever it is you that you guys are up to… and I'll see you tomorrow. Good night Jake. Sleep tight."

"Good night Bella. Sleep well. And come over early tomorrow. Emily and Kim are dying to spend some time with you. Oh who am I kidding? They're mostly just dying to get some help from you… it's not easy feeding us, you know? They're always run ragged and they're always looking forward to any and all help they can get!" He admitted frankly, if a little sheepishly.

I chuckled wholeheartedly. "Oh, I can imagine, trust me! I've always pitied Emily, the poor girl! Having to feed so many of you every day! I would have keeled over from the exhaustion a long time ago."

"Well… I'm sure she might have too, if she had to feed us every day. Thankfully she doesn't… anymore. Only when we're all back home, which these days, is a rare occurrence."

"What do you mean back home? Where are you guys 'back' from?"

"Oh didn't I tell you, we're normally based out of Seattle now a days? Oh well, it must've slipped my mind. You have to admit we had much more important things to talk about. My living situation was the least of our worries at that time."

Seattle?!? When did that happen!?! And what did he mean, living situation?!? Oh! Ooohh!! Was he trying to tell me something here? Like… maybe that he was dating someone, seriously? Or that he was in a relationship, maybe? Or he could even be trying to tell me that he was living with someone?? Uh oh… I was having a bad feeling about this…

The smile on my face dropped away slowly. "Uh… sure. We'll talk tomorrow, like you said. Yeah… that sounds good. Yes… tomorrow… right. Anyway, good night… Bye…"

Fortunately, my rambling and sudden disorientation went mostly unnoticed by Jake. He seemed even more distracted by what was happening at his end than I was at the sudden, unexpected turn our conversation had taken.

A distracted "Sure, sure…" was his only reply. And then, just before I hung up, I heard something that set my teeth on edge. "Aw honey, how many times do I have to tell you that you always come on too strong? How're you ever going to land a decent guy if you keep scaring them all away? No wonder you keep ending up with all the assholes. Come here… I'll show you how it's done!"

And then a saccharine sweet, feminine voice replying, "Oh Jakey… I don't have to worry about such things when you're around, do I? You're enough of a worrywart as it is. You'll worry enough for the both of us, right?"

I shuddered in revulsion. UGH!!! Who the hell was that?!? I don't recall ever hearing that voice ever before! And I know for sure that I wouldn't have forgotten something like that…that… annoying, cloying, suffocating voice!! God Lord! A person was likely to get diabetes just by hearing too much of that voice! And whoever she was, what in the world was she doing, around MY Jake… calling him… of all things, 'Jakey'??

'_Wait a minute… 'YOUR' Jake? Oh my…but when did that happen? And why didn't I get the memo?'_

'_Oh Shut up! Just don't say anything! I don't want to hear a word from you… not one word!!' _ I silenced my inner voice viciously, in no mood for extended and prolonged conversations with my own damn self that would only be more proof of my craziness and would serve no other purpose than to make me even more angrier than I already was.

I stomped upstairs and got ready for bed all the while seething inside!

'_How dare she…the stupid Bitch? And who the hell is she!?! And why did 'she' get to get away with calling him nicknames!?! Even I don't have a nickname for him… and I'm his best friend for heaven's sake!! Oh God! What if she's his girlfriend or something!?! The thought makes me sick… like… really, really sick! Sick enough to puke… UGH!'_

'_Okay you gotta simmer down here. Don't jump to any conclusions yet. You have no idea who she is… she could be anyone! A friend, an acquaintance, a cousin…' _

Somehow that thought wasn't very reassuring. The unknown female being a friend or an acquaintance was equally distressing considering the familiarity I'd sensed between them and I hadn't ever heard of him having a cousin so that possibility was pretty much out of the question.

'_Alright, alright! Just keep your cool until you meet him and then you can ask him yourself.'_

Seeing as I had no choice but to do just that, I reluctantly went to bed… only to toss and turn for a very long time. Finally after what felt like forever I fell into a restless sleep which was plagued by never ending nightmares of me, chasing Jake all around the place only to see him kissing and making out with a faceless, nameless girl.

**A/N : - Here it is, folks…Chapter 13! Sooo, what do you think? Is it good… bad… terrible?? Lemme know… you're reviews keep me going! They are the fuel on which I operate! They are the energy that keep me moving on! They are the… well, you get the idea! And in case you haven't gotten the gist of this whole pitch yet, here it is, in plain, simple language – Please Review!! Hehe…**

**As always, a HUGE thank you to my awesome beta's Cheryl and Ashley! They're both simply wonderful!! Always willing to help, no matter what the time… answer all sorts of questions… read through my work and give opinions and advice whenever I need it… asking pertinent questions that give me much needed insight into my own work… Simply put, they're both miracle workers! Thank you, guys!! You rock!!**

**For those of you who still haven't checked out Ashley's work, what the hell are you guys waiting for?? Go to her profile (she's here on the site as augustblack) and read her stories! Trust me, they'll be worth your time! Well… that's it from my end. Hope you enjoy the chapter and hope you let me know if you do! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Part 1 **

**Disclaimer – Not mine! If I owned them, why in the world would I be writing Fanfic?? Duh!**

**Also, as the title indicates, this chapter is going to have 2 parts. It is the first and hopefully the only chapter that I'll do in both BPOV as well as in JPOV. This here, is the BPOV part… Enjoy…**

BPOV

I woke up in a terrible mood which got even worse as I discovered the dark circles under my eyes. Shit! Alice was going to kill me. She was supposed to come over to help me get dressed for the bonfire, for old time's sake… her words, not mine… and now, she'd have to put in some extra effort to hide the ravages of my sleepless night. I now had a lecture from a demented, fashion-obsessed vampire chick to look forward to. What a great way to round off a perfectly horrid night!! Nonetheless, the thought of seeing Jake once again was enough to keep me from losing it completely.

I quickly took a shower and hurried through breakfast. I had to run some errands and Dylan and Lisa were keen on visiting Charlie at the hospital so we left immediately after breakfast and didn't manage to return till late in the afternoon.

I walked into my room to find an agitated Alice, pacing around worriedly all throughout the room having ransacked what looked like my entire wardrobe and all my bags.

"Alice… what the hell…"

"Never mind that Bella! Where the hell have you been? Are you even aware that there are only two hours left for me to get you ready for the bonfire!?! I know I'm good but even I'm not a miracle worker!"

"Gee thanks, Alice. I didn't know it took that much of an effort to make me presentable."

"Oh, sorry Bella…" Alice sounded genuinely apologetic. "You know I didn't mean to imply that, right? I just… I want you to look perfect. And look at you, you're all sweaty and your hair is all tangled up. You have to take a bath and wash your hair… And then I have to pick out the perfect outfit for you… which you don't have, by the way… AND then I have to do your make-up!! When am I ever going to find the time!?!" She wailed in frustration.

"Jeez… calm down! It's just a bonfire… It's not such a big deal."

God… if looks could kill, I would've been dead that very instant.

"Not a big deal? Not a big deal?!? This is a big, freaking, deal… Trust me on that! Now, stop talking to me and go and take a shower already. And don't forget to wash your hair with that new shampoo I got for you. And use that new body lotion I've left out for you too. Hurry up!!! I'm going to run home quickly to pick up some clothes that I think would be perfect for you. I'll be back in 15 minutes. You better be done before then or I will be very unhappy, Bella. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

I picked up my bathrobe and all but ran into the bathroom, trying to get my clothes off with one hand while locking the door and switching on the shower with the other. My hopping around might have been rather comical if I didn't have the terrifying image of a furious Alice at the back of my mind.

No matter how much I tried to hurry along my shower, I was still a little behind Alice's schedule. Thankfully, she didn't do something radically drastic like break down the bathroom door or something like that to get me to hurry along…

I walked into my room to find Alice, who was surrounded by a mountain of new clothes and a helpless Jasper, who was trying… unsuccessfully… to pacify her.

"Alice, honey, you have to calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down?!? There's no freaking time to calm freaking down! We don't have enough time! Bella's cutting it short as it is! Oh there she is! Finally!! Sit down here! And don't touch your hair!" She snapped out orders like a drill sergeant. "I'm trying to think if I should curl it or just blow dry it? What do you think Jas?"

"M..m.. me?? I don't know…"

"Oh forget it! Men are so useless!! Just hand me that blow drier, will you? And the lash curler? Oh and the mascara…"

When there was no response, we both turned to look at Jasper, only to find the space he'd just occupied, empty. In fact the whole room was empty… completely devoid of Jasper's presence. It seemed like he'd made a strategic escape while he could… the lucky bastard! Now… if only I could somehow manage to do the same.

'_Run, Jasper run…run for your life!'_

"Chicken!" Alice yelled loudly before looking at me with narrowed eyes. "Don't even think about it! You're not going anywhere. Now sit still."

'_Oh no… Please let this get over quickly.'_

"Stop fidgeting Bella! Now look what you made me do. Your eyeliner is all wonky. UGH! I'll have to start all over again now."

'_What? NO!! Dear God, Help. I can't take it anymore…'_

"Where? I can't see anything Alice. It looks perfectly fine to me."

'_Please, please God… let me get away with the lie.'_

"Really Bella? Can you be any more oblivious? And please, stop trying to come up with excuses to get out of this. You'd think that I'm torturing you instead of trying to help you."

'_Oh if only you knew Alice…' _But I didn't dare say that out loud for fear of hurting her feelings. I sighed in resignation… might as well buck up and sit still! Get it over with, as soon as possible…

Just then, Lisa walked into the room looking for advice on what to wear and I grabbed the opportunity with both hands… and both feet too.

"Hey Lee… Alice here is simply awesome at such things! She has a great sense of fashion. And she's great at make-up too. Look, she's already helping me with mine. Maybe, after she's done with me, she'd help you with yours too… right Alice?"

Thankfully Alice was too busy repairing my smudged eyeliner to examine my motives too deeply and aimed a thrilled-excited smile at Lisa who had a 'deer caught in the headlights' look on her face. "Ooooh yes!! I'd love to!! Have you decided what you're wearing yet??"

Ensuring Alice's distraction, I looked at Lisa beseechingly, trying to convey my desperate need to be rescued from this situation. She winced at me sympathetically and then backed out of the room as fast as she could without seeming to be running away.

'_The backstabbing traitor… the big, fat abandoner… See if I help her next time she needs me.'_

"Umm… no… that's alright. It looks like you're really busy with Bella. I can take care of things on my own. And anyway, I don't think we'll have the time. Bella still looks far from ready and I think we just might be running a little late as it is. So you girls carry on. I'll see you when you're all done here, okay? Besides, I don't need to look as stunning as Bella. It's her day, isn't it? She's the one who has to look perfect. I'm fine as I am… really."

And… in her effort to make a quick but graceful exit… just made things even worse for me. Perfect!

Finally… dozens of vile instruments and what felt like boatloads of makeup later… Alice declared herself satisfied with my appearance! I felt like breaking out into a spontaneous rendition of hallelujah. I could not fathom how some women subjected themselves to this kind of torture on a daily basis. I was infinitely thankful that in all the growing up I'd done in the last six years, this was one habit that I hadn't felt the need to pick up.

I looked at myself in the mirror and even I had to accept that Alice had done an amazing job. I looked…good. And the best thing was, I didn't look all made up… just completely natural.

"So Bella? Did I do good or what? Was it worth all the torture I supposedly put you through?"

'_Oops, apparently I wasn't as subtle about my loathing as I'd thought. Oh well… hopefully her feelings aren't too hurt. After all, she has a lot of experience in dealing with my impatience for all things 'make-up…' _

"Hmmpf. Okay, okay… I admit it. You did good. And yes, it was worth it…I think…"

I hurried downstairs where Lisa and Dylan were waiting me. Dylan's shell-shocked expression and Jasper's wolf whistle were gratifying testimonies to Alice's effort. She wasted no time in telling me 'I told you so!'

Just as we were about to leave the house, Dylan… who despite his knowledge of Alice's marital status hadn't totally gotten over his crush on her… asked "Hey Alice, are you sure you and Jasper don't want to tag along with us to the bonfire?"

"Oh yes I'm more than sure." Alice said in a heartfelt but sarcastic manner. "Besides, I really don't think that Jacob or his friends would appreciate us being part of their so-called party. So, you guys go ahead and enjoy yourselves. We'll see you once you're back."

"What do you mean that Jacob wouldn't appreciate you guys being there? What's wrong with that? You are Bella's family after all… as well as her friends."

"Uh… How do I put this? Things…between the Quileute's and us are… complicated. I don't think you'd understand even if I explained the whole thing to you. Suffice it to say that we're not welcome there… that's all. And if we ignore the tensions between us and do go there, it'll cause unnecessary…issues. I don't think that'll be in anyone's best interests."

"What? You're not welcome there?? That is one of the weirdest things I've ever heard… Simply absurd! I cannot believe this nonsense. You guys are among some of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I don't understand how anyone can have a problem with you. Is this guy some kind of a weirdo or something? Let me tell you, I'm beginning to have serious doubts about this guy's intelligence the more I get to know him."

"Let it go, Dylan. You're better off not knowing, trust me." I practically had to drag him out of the house before could prolong the discussion unnecessarily.

After some argument, we decided to take the rental car which Dylan… in his typical machismo… insisted on driving. He just succeeded in reducing our life expectancy by at least a few decades by driving on the wrong side of the road… the idiot!

When we finally, and after a few close calls, reached First Beach, the bonfire was already in full swing.

The huge pit on the beach, already hosted a merry, crackling fire. Quil and Seth were acting as bartenders, dispensing copious amounts of alcohol that should've been enough to get every person in Forks arrested but it didn't even seem to faze the werewolves.

Dylan and Lisa gawked at the sheer volume of food present… there were at least six strategically placed tables that seemed to be on the verge of collapse due to the weight of the food placed on them. Under normal circumstances, with normal people, the food present there would've been enough to feed the whole United States army… and maybe even some of the Navy and the Air Force but as I secretly knew, it'd barely be enough to feed the people present here.

The moment they became aware of my presence, I was immediately smothered in hugs by Sue, Emily and Kim.

"Oh my, Bella! Look at you! You look wonderful! I'm so glad you're back… I've missed you." Emily gushed excitedly.

I couldn't believe how happy I was to see her. It was a surprising discovery as, until that very moment, I hadn't even been aware of the fact that I'd missed her.

"Hi Emily… I've missed you too. It's so good to see you again. Oh and by the way, you look wonderful too. I don't think you've changed one bit since I last saw you! I have no idea how you do that."

"Oh well… thank you for saying that Bella, even if it's not quite true anymore. There've been many changes… all good, thank god. I'm a wife now and a mother, if you can believe it! That definitely changes a person… for the better…"

Oh God… there was that pain again. An empty hollowness in the pit of my stomach… like someone had torn off a part of me and left a gaping hole behind…

My eyes automatically sought out the one person who could hold me together in such situations… but he was nowhere to be seen…

Emily went on with her side of the conversation, sublimely and blissfully unaware of my reaction to her announcement. "Come on… I'll introduce you to my babies. Do you know I have twins? Girls… I can't believe they'll be five years old soon…

'_That's exactly how old 'she' would have been now…'_

It just kept getting worse and worse! I wanted to fold in on myself… collapse into the void that I always knew existed inside me… the black hole of my despair…

Just as the darkness threatened to overwhelm me, I managed to push it back with great difficulty… willing myself to think of anything but the past…

Even through my despair, I was conscious of Emily calling out to someone, "Jackie, Jamie… come here. I want you to meet someone special."

Two beautiful, dark haired angels ran up to Emily and hid behind her, peeking out at me from behind their mother's legs.

"Girls, say hello to Aunt Bella. Bella, these are my babies. This here is Jackie. She's the older one by 3 minutes and she'll never let you forget it. And this is Jamie. She takes full advantage of her status as the youngest in the family even if it's only by a few minutes."

Both the girls gave me shy smiles from underneath their eyelashes.

My heart constricted in my chest. They were so beautiful… I couldn't help squatting down to their height and extending my hand to them. "Hi."

Slowly, hesitantly, they came out from behind Emily and took my hand. "Pretty…" Jackie exclaimed, in an awestruck tone. "Isn't she pretty mommy? She looks like a princess. Are you a princess, Aunt Bella? Like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty?"

I gave her a wistful smile. "No honey, I'm afraid not."

"Oh." I could tell she was disappointed. Her sister scampered over to her side and whispered something into her ear. She brightened up at once.

"It doesn't matter if you aren't a princess now. All you have to do is marry a Prince. Isn't that right mommy?"

Emily gave them an indulgent smile. "Yes that's right honey."

"Uncle Jake!! Uncle Jake! Mommy where is he? We have to get him to marry Aunt Bella so she can be a real princess."

"What? No! What does he have to do with anything??" I scrambled to distract them from their agenda, all the while hoping to God that Jake hadn't heard their calls.

"Because he's a Prince silly… If you marry him, you'll be a Princess and then you both will live happily ever after!"

I drew in a sharp breath, not knowing how to respond to that. I threw Emily a quick, pleading look.

"Alright girls, that's enough. Don't bother Aunt Bella now. Go and play with your friends. But remember, no going in the water without telling Daddy or me, alright? Now shoo…"

They looked crushed. "But we weren't bothering her, right Aunt Bella?"

"No, of course you weren't! Your friends miss you, that's all."

"Oh… that's okay then." They both turned and ran towards the rest of their friends holding each other's hand all the way. Halfway there, they both suddenly turned in unison and looked at me. "Aunt Bella, will you come and play with us someday, like Uncle Jake does?"

"Oh yes, I'd love to. Your mommy and I will come up with a suitable day alright?"

The joy that lit up their faces in that instant was bright enough to light up my whole day. They were so beautiful; it actually, physically hurt to look at them. I turned away quickly, not wanting Emily to see the sudden sheen of tears in my eyes.

I felt Lisa's hand on my shoulder, and looked at her gratefully, once again thankful for her quiet understanding and support. Emily cleared her throat and I could see that she was still feeling guilty for the twins' behavior. "I'm sorry Bella. I know it must've been awkward for you to hear them talk about you and Jake that way but they idolize him." She explained helplessly.

"He's their Godfather you see, and as far as they know, he can do no wrong. They think he walks on water and fights all their demons singlehandedly… and then to top it off, he never says no to bed-time stories or ice-cream. He spoils them rotten and they love him, unconditionally. Sometimes I think they love him even more than they love either Sam or me. Believe me; they couldn't have paid you a better compliment than saying that you could marry their beloved Uncle Jake. It means that they really like you."

She thought that I was upset about the girls comment about Jake and me. Well… good… It didn't hurt to let her go on believing that. Embarrassing though it was, it was still better than the truth.

"Uhh… I understand. Don't worry about it. It's forgotten. So… where is Jake and the rest of the guys? I don't see them around, anywhere.

"Oh, they're just taking a dip in the sea."

"In this weather?!? Are they freaking crazy??" I think everyone heard Lisa's exclamation.

Emily hurried to set things straight. "Oh… no… it's not what you think. Sammy dared them to." She sounded really flustered.

Sammy? Why was everyone all of a sudden referring to Sam as Sammy?? First Jake and now Emily… it just sounded so weird!

Suddenly there was a raucous burst of laughter near the water's edge, signaling the pack's presence. I looked eagerly towards the water hoping to catch a glimpse of Jake.

Oh yes, there he was. GOD…

My breath caught in my throat as I saw a bare-chested Jacob walking out of the ocean in form hugging denim jeans… rivulets of water running down his washboard abs. He looked mouth wateringly delicious and I suddenly had the mental image of licking up every single one of those water droplets off of his body. As I watched in barely veiled hunger, he ran his hands through his wet hair, slicking it back from his forehead.

Lisa elbowed me discreetly in my side. "Oh My God, girlfriend, that is one hot piece of ass out there! I mean, seriously… Just look at him."

"LEE!!! What the hell??" Dylan closed his ears, a pained expression on his face. I couldn't agree with him more…

Then her attention shifted to the rest of the gang and she let out a breath that was a half sigh, half gasp... "Jesus, Bella! I don't think I can breathe."

I threw an astounded glance at her. I'd never ever in my association with Lisa seen her having such a strong reaction to anyone… and I mean – anyone! So I guess, this meant that she really, really thought that Jacob and the other guys were hot. And even though I wanted to hate her for it, I couldn't because, come on… anyone with a decent set of eyes in their head could see the 'hotness' of any of these guys.

"What?! Don't look at me like that. I'm alive you know? I have needs… and I have eyes!"

Dylan gave both of us a disgusted looks, apparently sick of the way the conversation was progressing.

"Hey! Don't blame me. Just remember, I'm not actually saying any of these things, Lisa is." I inserted a quick disclaimer.

But Dylan wasn't buying it…"Oh yeah? You might not be saying anything but that doesn't mean you're not ogling."

"What? I can't even look now?"

"Are you serious?? You're seriously asking me that?? Un-freaking-believable! You guys are incredible. And I don't mean that in a good sense so don't smile proudly. Just tell me one thing… how can you say guys are sick when you basically just did the exact same thing that we do? You just checked him out like he was a piece of meat. I mean, I'm not even him and 'I' feel violated!!"

Quil and Seth, who'd been able to hear every single word we'd just uttered, snickered loudly while throwing me mischievous but discreet grins. I couldn't help but imagine the kind of thoughts they must be having right now.

To make matters even worse, I was excruciatingly aware that the rest of the guys… Jake… would all be able to see and hear this conversation in their minds later on. How embarrassing! I'd have to ensure that Lisa would be far, far away from any of the guys before she made any such kind of comments in the future. Preferably in another State… or on another continent!

I excused myself from the conversation and began walking towards Jake purposely, determined to forget this little incident as soon as possible.

As I was walking towards him, I couldn't help but admire the easy sexiness in every move that he made. Lithe, graceful, beautiful… He embodied the wolf in every possible way, in every gesture. Right on cue, he threw his head back in laughter, reacting to some joke or comment unknown to me and the glamour of his smile made me feel weak in the knees. He was completely sensual… absolutely male.

Someone in the pack must've seen me and alerted him to my presence because, right at that very moment, he glanced up and our eyes met across the space between us, the laughter fading from his face as he read and correctly interpreted my expression. Suddenly, I was acutely conscious of the sizzle of electricity in the air all around us. It wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before and right away, I knew I was deep, deep trouble!

Six years ago, after putting us both through a lot of heartache, I'd finally accepted the fact that I'd been in love with Jake but this… this sudden awareness that I felt…was something totally new… though not completely unexpected. Was it just me or did he feel it too?

Time seemed to stand still all around us and it felt like we were the only two people in the whole wide world! His beautiful eyes lit up in a heart stopping, mischievous, triumphant grin… as if he was aware of my exact reaction to him at that very instant. I think my heart missed a couple of beats before pounding in answer to that grin. All I wanted to do was run across the distance between us and jump into his arms, kissing every single inch of skin I could reach on the way…

Just as my heart made the decision to do exactly that, I saw a tall, beautiful girl rise up from the water behind Jake and run full tilt towards him, leaping onto his back and wrapping both her arms as well as her legs around him from behind. Jake stumbled due to the sudden, unexpected weight and so did my heart. My step faltered…

She leaned over his shoulder to say something in his ear. I couldn't hear the conversation between them but whatever she said made Jake laugh out loud and tighten his hold on her legs. Her melodious laugh rang out in the air and I couldn't help clenching my fists in anger.

'_Get your fucking hands off him you Fucking Bitch!! Don't cling to him like a whore! You have no right to even touch him… he's mine!! Let go!!'_

My mind was screaming but I couldn't get myself to actually say the words out loud… because I knew that it wasn't true. He wasn't mine… I had no right over him. I'd given up any claims I'd ever had over him when I'd walked out on him six years ago. For all I knew… this girl could've more of a right to touch him than I ever did. That realization still didn't make the situation easy to accept…

What made matter worse was that whoever she was, she was gorgeous in ways that I, myself would never be and I knew that the image of the two of them together… like this would forever be etched in my memory.

I couldn't believe the horrible flashes of jealousy that were flowing through my body right that very instant. I wanted to wrench her arms away from Jake… just push her away and then rip her hair out… or maybe tear her eyes out of their sockets! I'd never been a very violent person but right now, at this very instant, I'd have had no problem getting physical.

I would've walked away at that very instant if I could've gotten away with it but unfortunately Jake had already seen me and I couldn't come up with any 'spur of the moment' explanation to excuse my departure. Plus, I couldn't very well abandon my friends here, could I? I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down as Lisa had taught me to do and determinedly turned away from the both of them.

I walked over to where Quil and Seth were still serving drinks. I desperately needed something strong to help me deal with the image I'd just been witness to.

"Hey Quil!"

"Hey Bella… I see you're still empty-handed. Tut tut… We're such bad hosts! What can I get you?"

"What've you got?"

"Oh don't you worry about that. We've got just about anything and everything under the sun, right Seth? You just have to choose your poison."

"Well… in that case, I'll have a Screwdriver. Just make it half vodka, half orange juice… nice and strong. None of that watery stuff, alright?"

He gaped at me in astonishment. "Bella… I… I don't think you should have something that strong…"

"And why the hell not?? What's so wrong with me drinking whatever I want?" I demanded belligerently.

He gulped audibly and threw a panicky glance towards Seth as if asking for his help. When none was forthcoming, he gathered up his courage, looked me right in the eye and replied, "Because Jake would kill me if I allowed you to, that's why."

"Well… screw him! Do you see him around here, anywhere? No, right? Then why should either you or I care what he thinks or says?"

"Umm… yeah… I still don't think so!"

"What? Do you always do what Jake says… blindly?? That's just so lame! Are you 24 or 12??"

Quil laughed, completely un-offended by my desperate ploy to embarrass him in an attempt to get to some alcohol while Seth looked at me like I had lost my mind a little… which maybe I had. "Uh, yeah! We kinda have to Bella. Jake IS our alpha, you know."

'_Oh right… Oops… that kinda slipped my mind for a moment there.'_

But I wasn't about to give up so easily.

"Whatever! You guys are just a bunch of pansies!! What does a girl have to do to get some alcohol around here, huh?"

"Do we have a problem here?" a quiet voice said behind me.

I froze dramatically… refusing to turn around. I could've identified that voice anywhere. It was embedded in my psyche… and deep within my heart.

I couldn't understand how he could've just walked up behind me without me being any wiser to his approach. Usually, I was so very conscious of his every move…

My whole body tingled with awareness as I felt his heat on my back. Every pore of my being was aware of the fact that if I just leaned back a little, I'd be able to feel his bare chest against my back… and oh god, I was so tempted to…

"Not a problem exactly… well… you decide for yourself. Bella, here, wants a screwdriver…with 50 percent vodka in it!"

A pin drop silence followed that statement, during which, I waited with baited breath for Jake's response. A part of me resented the fact that I had to have his permission to even get a drink around here… but the other part was eager to hear his opinion. I could feel his eyes on me, boring holes into my back. I had a strong feeling that he was mentally urging me to turn around but I refused to give him the satisfaction… especially not after the display he'd just subjected me to with that slut!

Finally, just as the silence was becoming too fraught with tension, he answered, "Quil, give her what she wants but keep an eye on her, okay? If she starts indulging too much or if it starts to affect her too much cut her off… immediately. You got me?"

"Sure Jake. Whatever you say… You got it!"

'_Kiss ass!'_

"Bella… do you understand what I'm saying here? I don't want to hear anything later about you giving either Quil or Seth a hard time, you hear?"

"Oh I understand… loud and clearl!" I retorted resentfully.

Where the hell did he get off treating me like a wayward child?? Who the hell did he think he was? My parent? My guardian?? What right did he have to lay down rules to discipline me??

I didn't actually say any of these things even though I was seething inside. With outward calm, I took the drink Seth handed me and began to walk away towards where Lisa and Dylan were hanging around with Emily and Kim.

I sensed Jake following me and braced myself for an interrogation.

"Bella…"

Here it comes…

But before he could say anything else, there was a high-pitched whine behind him.

"Jakey, where are you going?? You can't abandon me like that! Come on… you promised you wouldn't. I miss you! You know how I feel so lonely without you."

I stiffened in horror. Oh God! I'd recognize that grating, annoying, cloying voice anywhere… especially after the way it had dominated my nightmares all throughout the night yesterday. It was her; the simpering bitch from last night! Good God, what was she still doing here? And who the hell was she?? Apparently, the situation was even worse than I'd imagined it to be last night!

And even through the disgust and despair pulsating through me, I had to admit that I had an overwhelming curiosity to see who this faceless, nameless nemesis was!

I forced myself to turn around only to immediately wish that I hadn't! The girl in question was the same girl who'd tackled Jake from behind just a few minutes back and she was once again draped all over him; her arms wrapped around his neck in a tight hug… her body touching him in every place possible!

God she was so pathetic. Did she have to cling to him every single minute? To top it off… they now both seemed oblivious to my presence…

To make matters even worse, up close, she was even more beautiful than I'd originally thought. She was tall and slim, beautifully proportioned with easy, graceful movements. In fact, I'd have killed to have a body like hers! She had dark hair, just like Jake's and vibrant green eyes in a stunningly arresting face. She was the kind of person who'd stop conversations just by entering a room and she knew it. Confidence oozed out of her every pore. In other words, she was everything I was not! Confident, vibrant, beautiful, arresting, graceful… and God I hated her!

I cleared my throat loudly hoping that it would be enough to penetrate whatever cocoon they were wrapped in. Fortunately, it was…

"Jay-Jay… who is she?? Do you know her? Why haven't you introduced us yet?" She pouted prettily.

'_Jay-Jay??? Oh… You have GOT to be kidding me?!?'_

I decided to take matters into my own hands!

I gave her a syrupy sweet smile and introduced myself. "Hi… I'm Bella. Bella Swan. Jake's best friend. And you are…?"

I cringed inwardly at the obvious insecurity that came across in my greeting. I couldn't have been more obvious if I'd said, 'Back off bitch! He's mine!' Of course, it didn't help matters that I'd also been very tempted to add 'Jake's best friend and the love of his life' to that greeting. I would be eternally grateful that I'd somehow managed to refrain myself.

'The Bitch' offered me an equally sickening smile. "Hello Bella, nice to meet you. I'm Samantha by the way but my friend's call me Sammy." I could see him giving her a disgustingly sweet smile. "I'm Jake's PA and his friend too… I think."

"What do you mean, I think? Of course you're my friend, Sammy. You know you are. Don't act coy. It really doesn't suit you!" Jake hastened to reassure her.

This was Sammy?? Oh God!! This was who everyone had been talking about! Of course I should've realized this sooner… but I'd been too involved in my feeling of jealousy to pay attention to all the glaringly obvious signs! But now, I didn't have a choice. Apparently, this was Sammy and somehow, in some way, she was very important to the pack… and to Jake…

And I couldn't even hope that she was just some dumb twit. Even now, as I was busy trying to avoid puking all over her beautiful feet… I had to acknowledge that the girl was extremely shrewd…almost cunning. She'd been clever enough to get Jake to admit to their closeness in a very disarming way, without seeming too desperate, needy or territorial... unlike me.

She gave me a triumphant smile almost like she knew exactly what I'd been thinking about. "So… you say you're Jake's best friend?? That's funny… he's never mentioned you even once in the six years since I've known him. Don't you think that odd?"

God that hurt…

'_BITCH!! Can I rip her hair off and punch that perfect smile off of her face? Would anyone mind if I did that? Would Jake?'_

"Oh no… there's actually an explanation for that. You see, Bella and I kinda had a falling out. We had a misunderstanding and didn't see each other or speak to each other for six years! Crazy, huh?"

'_What the HELL is he doing??? Revealing all our history, all our secrets to her?? Ugh!'_

'Sammy' had a very amused smirk on her face as she heard Jake's explanation.

I gave him a nasty glare that at least made him shut the hell up.

"Ah that explains it I guess. Hmm… so you guys haven't spoken to each other in six years, huh? Incredible! So… then, Bella, is it? How do you know you're still Jake's best friend, huh? He could've had loads of 'new' best friends in the time since you guys have last met. Cos six years is a long time. Things change… People change… they grow up and move on, don't you agree?"

'_Oh God… she's right! So much time has passed… I've changed… What makes me think that Jake hasn't? I'm such an idiot!! What right do I have to even call myself his best friend? Maybe he doesn't feel that way about me anymore!'_

Hot tears stung my eyes and threatened to overflow…

'_God! That is the last thing that you want to do Bella… cry in front of this horrid person! Don't let her have the satisfaction! Come on… you can do it… I know you can! Deep breaths Bella… take deep breaths… she's not worth it…really…'_

I had to get out of there as quickly as I could!

"Anyway…. Sammy, was it? It was nice meeting you. But… I have to go see how my friends are doing. I've pretty much abandoned them since I got here and I need to make sure that they're not bored or anything like that…So, yeah, bye… I guess I'll see you around or something."

'_Or not… if I had anything to do with it!'_

I gave both of them a tight smile and hurried off to where Dylan and Lisa were standing around having a conversation with Quil, Embry and Seth.

"Hey Bells…wait up."

'_Oh for the love of…What now?!? Can't he just let me walk away with some of my dignity intact?'_

"Is everything okay? You seem a little out of it."

"Oh no… everything's fine. Having fun you know, just chilling out dude… "

Jake was giving me an odd look, convinced I'm sure, that I'd finally gone off the deep end.

"Look Jake, I really have to go! I don't want Dylan and Lisa to feel like I've completely abandoned them. I'll catch you later, alright?"

"Hey hun, I just heard my name mentioned. Were you looking for me?" Apparently Dylan had walked up behind me while I was busy talking to Jake. So much for my escape plan…

"Uh no… not really looking… I just wanted to see if you guys are comfortable, you know?"

Please, please, please take the hint and get me out of this conversation… I pled him with my eyes.

"Oh we're doing fine! You don't have to worry about us sweetheart. We're having a lot of fun. And in any case, we can take care of ourselves, you know?"

Idiot! Why oh why couldn't guys ever get any hints?! Maybe Alice was right… guys were useless… and clueless too!

I decided to use another line of approach, hoping that this at least would work out. "Where's Lisa?"

"Where do you think? She's dancing her little heart out!"

"Where? What?" I looked around stupidly, only to notice that somebody had set up a portable music system with speakers and there were a lot of people dancing around the bonfire.

I'd been so involved in Jake that I'd been completely oblivious to everything else. Now that he mentioned it, I couldn't believe that I'd been so oblivious to the loud music that seemed to have suddenly sprung up in the last few minutes or so.

"Anyway, as soon as the music started, I knew we had to get out there and dance and I began to desperately miss my favorite dance partner! So whaddaya say partner? Wanna dance?"

"Oh come on! You've known her how long now, and don't even know such a basic thing about her? Bella doesn't dance!" Jake ridiculed.

"What're you talking about?? Of course she does! At least, she does with me… right sweetheart? Come on… let's hit the floor!"

And he dragged me right along with him towards the designated dance area…

I squirmed uncomfortably, trying desperately to get him to let go of my hand but all my efforts were in vain.

"Let me go, Dylan! What the hell are you doing?" I hissed at him in a furious half whisper.

"Do you trust me Bella?"

"Of course I do! What kind of question is that??"

"Good… then trust me now. This'll make your life far, far better and much simpler in the long run. Just follow my lead. And whatever you do, don't look at Jacob… at all."

'_Hmmm… maybe he wasn't completely useless after all…'_

**A/N: -First of all, I'm really, really sorry for the delay in posting this. I really intended to get this out sooner but was stuck by a sudden case of writer's block! Thankfully, as you can see I'm over it now and hope to post the next chapter very soon. **

**Secondly, like always, a huge 'Thank you' to Cheryl and Ashley, my wonderful betas'! You guys are the best beta's a girl could ask for! But you are both much more than that… you are the best friends a girl could ask for. Thank you both, for being so understanding and supportive and helpful. I definitely couldn't do this without either of you.**

**Once again, a quick reminder for all of you to check out Ashley's stories that she publishes under the username 'augustblack'. Seriously, you shouldn't miss out on them… they're wonderful! **

**And thirdly, and this is to all you wonderful readers out there, you gotta review people!! If you like the story, please, please take the time to just leave a short note saying you do! And I'm not only talking about my own story here… the same applies to all the other wonderful stories out there. Do you have any idea the kind of effort that goes into writing on such a massive scale? I think I'm talking on behalf of all the author's out there when I say that it tends to take up our life! And we do it with for no other reason than for our own pleasure and the pleasure of the readers! So be kind enough to at least acknowledge the effort… Please?? I'm begging here. **

**And to all those of you who review regularly, I thought I should publicly acknowledge how much it mean to me. Truly, it makes my day to get a review alert! Thank you sooooo much! And please, keep on reviewing.**


	15. Chapter 14 Part 2

**Chapter 14**

**Part 2 **

**Disclaimer: - Not mine! All original characters/situations/events are the property of Stephenie Meyer and the publishers. God… I wish Jake was mine though! *Sigh* Dammit!!**

**Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to Chapter 14 Part 2… Ta Da! Oh… before you begin, I'd like to warn everyone that this was intensely difficult to write! I've never ever before done one chapter from 2 completely different POV's and let me tell you, it's no easy thing to do. I really, honestly hope that I don't ever have to do it… ever again! That being the case, the first part of the chapter is completely dialogueless. I know some of you might be disappointed by this but I hope you try to be understanding and supportive about it. Trust me guys, I couldn't do it any other way… believe me, I tried… which is what led to the aforementioned writer's block! So… without being too mean, I'm just going to say… 'Deal with it!' Hahaha… I do hope the rest of the chapter makes up for it though! Enjoy!!**

JPOV

It was an unseasonably warm day especially by La Push standards and hence the perfect day for a bonfire.

I spent the day in a restless haze of anticipation, counting the minutes until such a time when I could see Bella once again.

The guys obviously knew what was going on in my mind and ragged me incessantly about it… I didn't give a damn!

She showed up for the bonfire in her little black halter top and the tight little denim skirt that highlighted parts of her that I hadn't even known existed till then… and completely blew me away.

She was gloriously, flawlessly, naturally beautiful… and 'I'… was a dead man! She looked so perfect; she took my breath away!

I had been looking for excuses to stay away from her… how the hell was I supposed to stay away from her when she looked like this?? Completely irresistible…

Right from the very moment I set my eyes on her, I was completely and totally lost in her… her presence, her scent… her very being overwhelming me with echoes and shades of the past and 'what might have been's'…

I was aware of her presence from the very moment she walked onto First Beach along with her friends. I silently monitored her interaction with the girls… keeping my eye out for anyone mistreating or misbehaving with her.

Fortunately, everyone appeared genuinely pleased to see her… which is what I had expected in the first place but I still had to make sure. There was just one incident that bothered me – when Emily was talking to Bella about the twins and later during Bella's interaction with the twins– for a moment; there was a look in Bella's eyes that scared the shit out of me! That was the second time in two consecutive days that I saw that exact same look in Bella's eyes and I couldn't help but wonder what the deal was. I vowed to talk to Bella about it the first opportunity I got.

Then of course, what happened next, wiped the entire incident along with all the worry right out of my mind. Our eyes met across the expanse of the beach and the look that I saw in her eyes sent jubilation roaring through my veins.

She was looking at me in the exact, same way I'd been looking at her since the day I'd first met her. It was a heady feeling. Till this point of time, I never doubted the fact that she loved me… sure. But, in the past, all the passion… all the yearning in her, had always been reserved for the leech. I, on the other hand, had always been relegated to the platonic best-friend status.

Now, today, finally she was looking at me the way I'd wanted her to for almost half my life! With hunger and desire and need… and a sweet, sweet yearning that I felt even through the distance between us… running throughout my body like a jolt of electricity.

I felt like yelling out my joy for the whole world to see… Felt like falling down to my knees in supplication and thanking God for letting me see this day.

But even stronger than this was the desperate urge to physically touch her, to feel her response to my touch, to look deeply in her eyes and assure myself that what I felt wasn't just a fool's hope like it had been previously… that it was real and she was feeling what I thought she was!

I noticed her making her way towards me, purposely… apparently sharing my yearning for a physical affirmation of our suddenly blossoming feelings.

Just as I began to make my way towards Bella, exulting in my new found discovery, I was startled to feel a sudden, unexpected weight on my back. I staggered under the weight but instinctively recognized that there was a real, live person on my back. I instinctively caught hold of whoever it was, trying to balance both of us so that we wouldn't fall flat on our faces in the surf.

The moment I heard the soft 'Gotcha' in my ear, I realized that the 'monkey' on my back was actually Sammy… trying to get an edge over me in an ongoing bet we had between us about her ability to sneak up on me. This time, I had to admit that she'd succeeded… not because she was particularly good… but because I was completely unaware of anything or anyone besides Bella. As I couldn't very well say any of that out loud to her, all I did was laughingly surrender to her.

The whole encounter couldn't have lasted for more than a few minutes but the moment I looked up towards Bella again and saw her narrow eyed gaze, I immediately realized that something was terribly wrong. Gone was the earlier look of desire and yearning… almost as if it had never existed in the first place. In its place was an expression of anger and disgust. Through the intense confusion running through my mind, one thing was definitely clear… I had to find out what had changed in the last few minutes to warrant such loathing from her.

I hurriedly made my way towards her but was brought up short when she abruptly turned around and walked away without bothering to wait for me.

'_What the hell? What was that all about? Did she not see me? And if she did, why the hell did she walk away?'_

Things just went downhill from there onwards. Even though I tried numerous times to seek her out to find out what was wrong, she successfully eluded all my attempts to do so… and then she proceeded to ignore the heck out of me…

Even the incident with Quil, Seth and Bella was disturbing to say the least. The Bella I knew had never been a drinker. I honestly didn't know how to react when Quil told me that she wanted a Screwdriver. My first instinctive reaction was to bluntly refuse. I tried very hard to curb my vehemence, all the while hoping desperately that she'd turn around so that I could look into her eyes and find out what the hell the matter was. When she showed no signs of doing so, I finally gave in and told Quil to do as she wanted but to keep an eye on her. After all, what else could I do when she obviously wanted the drink and was old enough to make up her mind about it?

I soon came to regret my decision.

Much to my displeasure, Bella spent the next hour or so, steadily imbibing large quantities of alcohol without pause. And the worst part was the way she got progressively uninhibited as the alcohol in her blood stream took its toll on her. She became more touchy-feely, more giggly, more talkative and worst of all… very clingy.

'_Admit it boy, you wouldn't be complaining about it if it was you she was clinging to! The problem right now is not so much her clinginess but the fact that she's doing that with that idiotic 'boy-toy' friend of hers!'_

The changes in her physical appearance were even more difficult for me to handle. Her cheeks were flushed, her laugh more husky, her eyes heavy lidded and her pupils dilated… if I closed my eyes I could easily imagine her naked, spread out on my bed with me over her and exactly that look on her face.

What made the situation even worse was the fact that I could sense that every single male – including my own friends and brothers – present there was looking at her with the exact same hunger and longing that was running through my body right that very instant and there was nothing I could do about it except seethe in silence.

I almost snapped when she went up to Quil and Embry – who were now manning the bar – to get her next drink and gave them a sultry, come hither smile from beneath her eye lashes and I saw them gulp nervously. It took all of my self control not to drag her away from the onlookers right then and there. I would've loved nothing better in that instant than to lock us both in a room and kiss her senseless but I somehow managed to refrain from doing so…

God… she was driving me crazy!

And of course, the way she was behaving with her shitty little friend was enough to incite me to physical violence. For more than two hours I'd been forced to stand and watch her and her 'boy-toy' dance – if you could even call what they were doing, 'dancing'… it seemed far too cheap, to be called that – around in each other's arms, giggling away like crazy people.

Hell… I hadn't even been aware of the fact that Bella… 'MY' Bella knew how to dance. When the hell had that happened? The last time I'd seen her, she'd have run away in the opposite direction, yelling and screaming, at even the mention of the word 'dance'! Yet here she was, six years later, fluid and graceful, displaying moves that the old Bella would've been terrified of and looking sexy as hell along the way! And where the heck did the kid, Dylan, get off; asking her to dance right in front of my eyes?? Didn't he know that was my prerogative… my right?

God… how I wish it was me holding her rather than him. It should be my arms around her, my hips grinding into her, my eyes smoldering into hers… and the fact that it wasn't so was really beginning to piss me off!

Fuck! I hated the arrogant asshole!

When I was first introduced to him yesterday, I had to admit, I was a little surprised at the latent hostility I sensed in the boy's demeanor…I convinced myself that I was mistaken especially since there was no perceivable reason for the boy to feel so strongly about me. But now I wasn't so sure. Was this the reason why? I initially thought that he and Bella were just friends. But maybe I was wrong… Did Bella and he share a closer relationship than I earlier thought? I admit, my instincts might've been completely out of whack yesterday… after all, my entire being had been totally and completely focused on Bella yesterday.

But today, I noticed other things… and remembered some bits of yesterday's meeting that'd slipped past my radar earlier. Like how he'd been terse and formal with me… almost like he'd been reluctant to get introduced to me, like how he'd looked at Bella before we left the house, concern and something else… something indefinable in his eyes towards her… Fuck… maybe he was her boyfriend or something like that…

I hated to admit this, but she looked like she was having the time of her life. And she looked really comfortable in his arms… like she'd been there many times before…

God… just look at them! He had his hands all over her, the little shit! And even though I wanted to break every single finger, every single bone in his hand one at a time, all I could do was stand there… watch them and pretend that it didn't bother me in the slightest! Fuck!

At least I was thankful that whoever had selected the music was only playing fast music so far. It was hard enough seeing them performing intricate dance steps with ease… completely in tune with each other like they'd been doing this for ages… inserting a random, foolish step in between the more complicated ones almost like they'd pre-planned it in advance and then laughing and hugging each other delightedly… but it would've been sheer torture to see them perform a slow number together… holding each other closer than they already were… So, thank God for small mercies, I guess…

And then, almost as if someone… God… was playing a cosmic joke on me, the very next instant a slow number came on. Right in front of my eyes, Bella and Dylan moved into each other's arms… without any hesitation whatsoever… his hands on her waist and hers around his neck, looking at each other affectionately.

Okay, now I was in need of a drink… something much stronger than the beer I was currently drinking. I stomped over to the bar and picked up a bottle of tequila, opened the cap and took a swig straight from the bottle. Quil and Embry gave me measuring looks but thankfully… for their own good… didn't say anything.

"Hey!" Bella's sudden laughing admonishment brought me out of my morose thoughts and I turned to see her slap Dylan's hand laughingly away from her ass. Right then and there, I lost my cool!

The tequila bottle in my hand shattered, sending shards of glass flying around in the air all around me. Shit!

"Jake, man, are you alright?" Quil asked hesitantly.

"Just peachy!" I growled furiously, my attention still completely focused on what was happening out on the dance floor.

They'd resumed their obscene grinding with his hands still dangerously close to her butt and he dipped her backward in a move that gave every man present there, an amazing glimpse down her cleavage. Then he pulled her closer and she rested her head on his chest, looking for all the world like she belonged there!

An unbidden growl escaped my throat as I imagined pulling her roughly out of the little twerp's arms and into mine and then punching the dirtbag right in the nose...

My frustration increased with the realization that, that scenario was out of the question. "What the FUCK are they doing?!?" I growled angrily, feeling like I'd burst into flames any moment from the surges of anger and jealousy coursing through my body at the moment.

"Uh… if I'm not mistaken, that's called dancing." Embry supplied helpfully.

'_Smart ass!'_

"Shut up Em!"

Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed Quil and Embry exchange a knowing, smirking look and I shot them an angry glare. "What?!?" I snapped at them furiously.

"Umm… nothing Jake… Nothing at all. You were standing here all by yourself and…" Quil shot Embry a desperate glance, begging him to jump in on his rambling…

Embry took over where Quil had left off, stumbling in his haste to pacify my anger "…and we saw the look on your face and you looked angry at something… and then the bottle in your hand shattered… and so we thought that we should try to see if you needed us for something but apparently everything here is fine. Right, Quil? Doesn't everything look fine to you? Yes, yes… it's all fine! Come on, let's go and see if Emily needs our help or something. Uh… Bye Jake. We'll see you around."

Under ordinary circumstances I'd have been amused by their attempt at an escape but currently I was in no mood to smile at anything.

Just then, I heard Bella's tinkling laugh ring out in the air. I looked towards them to see them doing that stupid chicken dance which Bella seemed to find very amusing. The moment they stopped dancing, she threw her arms around that pathetic shitty bastard and leaned up to kiss his cheek. When she tried to pull away from him arms, he just tightened his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer to his body and gave me a triumphant smirk over her shoulder.

"That's it. He's got to die! Look at the way he's pawing her… Get your hands off her you little shit or so help me, I'm gonna break every single bone in your body!"

"Whoa dude! I think you're in dire need of some anger management lessons."

"Shut up Quil!" I said between gritted teeth.

"Ooohhh… all of my bosses… huddled together. This might be interesting. What's up guys?" Sammy's cheerful voice interrupted our moment. Embry and Quil immediately sagged in relief, apparently glad for the interruption. "Everything okay Jake? You're looking rather wound up."

I almost groaned in frustration.

Good God! What was with everyone today? Couldn't anyone leave me alone?? Now I'd have to endure another interrogation from her as to what was wrong and why I was frowning or something equally lame like that…

"Oh my God Jay! You're bleeding! What did you do to yourself?" She shrieked out rather loudly grabbing my hand suddenly. "Quil, Embry, SAM!! Jake's bleeding!! Quick, somebody…do something!"

Huh…would you look at that? Apparently the pieces of glass from the bottle explosion had not just flown around but instead a couple of them had also logged in my hand causing a surface wound which, like all surface wounds proceeded to bleed profusely. And I'd been so involved in the drama playing out in front of me that I hadn't even noticed the pain in my hand till Sammy mentioned it. Honestly speaking, it didn't hurt as much as Sammy was making it out to be and I also knew it'd heal in a few minutes if I just removed the shards from my hands.

I was just going to say this to Sammy when I noticed that Bella and Dylan had stopped dancing and Bella was looking towards me in concern. Hmmm… maybe I could use this opportunity to get her out of that boy's arms.

"Ouch! Dammit Sammy! Don't do that… it hurts!" I yelled out, loudly enough for Bella to hear. I sneaked a glance at her out of the corner of my eyes and was gratified to see her concern almost turning into panic. She pulled herself out of Dylan's arms and I could see that he wasn't happy with the situation. He caught hold of her arm and said something to her that she obviously did not like. From where I was standing I could clearly see them having some kind of an argument. I could imagine what it was about. He obviously did not want her running out of his arms and to my rescue and Bella was having a problem dealing with that. Asshole! Fortunately, she successfully shook off his restraint and started walking towards me hurriedly.

Quil and Embry on the other hand looked at me like I'd gone crazy. I gave them a discreet wink to indicate that I had everything under control.

"Jake! What's the matter? What's all this about you getting hurt and bleeding?!?" Bella almost shoved Sammy out of the way in her haste to reach me. The moment she saw the amount of blood flowing out of the wound, all the blood from her face drained off, leaving her white as a sheet. I almost gave in and told her the truth then, afraid that she might faint but she quickly got a hold of herself, clearly resolute to see this through.

"Embry, get me some fresh water. Quil, I need a clean towel or something to wrap his hand in. Seth, can you see if we have something to disinfect the wound… wait a minute, get me some of the alcohol, that'll do nicely. Hurry up guys! Sammy… you stay back. You're blocking the light!"

Wow! This was a totally new version of Bella… one that I'd never seen before. Here was a new 'Take charge Bella'… And I had to admit that I liked this version… a lot!

The guys finally figured out that I was enjoying the attention that Bella was showering me and provided her with the necessary items.

She took a deep breath, poured some fresh water over the wound to clean it up and then carefully pulled out the pieces of glass. As soon as the glass was out, fresh blood poured out of the wound. I was pretty sure that this would definitely be her undoing. But she surprised the hell out of me. Instead of panicking, she calmly poured some alcohol over the wound and then used the towel to help staunch the blood flow.

Her proximity was playing havoc with my system… all I could think of was how easy it'd be to just lean over and kiss her delectable lips.

"That should take care of it. Do you need anything else? Some pain killers or something?"

'_No… just you. I need you…'_

In just a few minutes, my freakish genes took care of the wound. As predicted, as soon as the glass was out of the wound, it began healing rapidly. A few minutes later, the wound had healed completely. But we had to remain in playacting mode for a bit longer for the benefit of the non werewolves here… especially Bella's friends.

Everyone else slowly drifted back to their previous activities realizing that the action was over and that I wanted to be left alone with Bella.

"I'm okay." I told her softly. "The wound's healed completely and it doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Are you sure?" She inquired concern still evident in her voice.

"Yes" I unwrapped the towel off my hand so that she could see for herself. "See? All better."

She examined my hand from all angle's… minutely. I was enjoying having her hold my hand tremendously and was in no hurry for her to let it go.

"Hmmm… it does look fine. Are you sure it doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Weeeellll… that kinda depends on what you would do if I said that it did." I answered with a mischievous smile. "Could I maybe persuade you to kiss it all better?"

I could see the color in her cheeks intensify but she still maintained eye contact. Hmmm… maybe alcohol helped to make her bolder along with lowering her inhibitions.

"You may…but you won't know for sure until you try it, will you? Well… it's up to you… Just let me know if and where it hurts…" She answered me sultrily and my entire body tightened in response to the implication and the look in her eyes.

'_Whoever invented alcohol has my eternal, undying gratitude!'_

"In that case… it hurts like crazy…" I replied huskily, dying to see how she'd respond.

She raised my hand to her lips, still not breaking her eye contact with me and proceeded to kiss my hand fleetingly. I sucked in a sudden breath… aroused beyond belief by such a simple, tiny gesture.

"There… all better?" She asked softly.

I knew that I had to stop this madness before things got too out of hand but before I could respond appropriately, the devil inside me answered, "Oh come on, is that the best you can do? That was a pathetic attempt at 'making it all better'. I'm sure you can do better than that."

'Shit!' I closed my eyes… experiencing equal levels of anticipation and fear. Unfortunately that was the worst possible reaction. My closed eyes made every other sense that much more real… that much more vivid.

A shudder ran through me and I couldn't help but be conscious of her soft hand holding mine… her breath tickling my hand softly… her honeysuckle and musk scent simultaneously soothing and arousing me…

And then my eyes flew open in shock as I felt her place an open mouthed kiss on my hand, her tiny tongue darting over the area of my wound. Her eyes were still trained on mine and I saw the same expression in them as I had seen a while back… a banked, simmering need…

Desire exploded in my gut and ran wildly throughout my body… every instinct within me was screaming for me to grab her and kiss her… and her eyes were indicating that she wouldn't mind it a lot if I did. I slowly put my free arm around her pulling her closer to me, all the while, trying to convey my intentions through my eyes. I knew she understood when she closed her eyes and raised her face towards mine in tacit compliance. Anticipation and desire sang through my veins as I lowered my head towards her, inching my lips closer to hers…

"Is everything alright here, Bella?"

The unexpected interruption startled both of us, sending Bella scrambling out of my arms hastily.

I aimed a vicious glare at the unwelcome intruder only to discover that it was none other than Bella's 'so-called' friend. Fuck! I was gonna kill him… slowly and mercilessly… and enjoy every single second of the process.

"Ummm… yeah… everything's fine. Not just fine but good. No great… isn't that right Jake?" Bella stuttered along in her explanation, glancing at me in the end and promptly turning bright red in embarrassment.

My heart melted. She was so adorable when she was embarrassed. I couldn't help smiling at her but her 'dimwit friend' was a whole different ball game. I still wasn't over my anger at him and hence chose to glare at him before smiling softly at Bella.

The 'idiot' – as I'd decided to name him - seemed completely unaware of my murderous thoughts and continued in his previous lighthearted fashion.

"Okay great! Then can we please continue with our dance now? By the way, I don't appreciate being abandoned in the middle of a song! Now, you're going to have to pay a penalty, so you better be ready for it!"

"Uh oh… that sounds dire! What penalty are you talking about?" Bella asked, smiling slightly at Dylan.

The slimy bastard! He was diverting Bella's attention away from me and he was doing it intentionally! As if the smirk he aimed at me wasn't indication enough, he pulled Bella along with him towards the dance floor. Again! That's it… I was going to have to punch the bastard! How dare he manhandle my Bella!

My intentions must have been clear on my face, because the moment I stepped forward, I found my way blocked my Sam, Embry and Leah. I almost phased right then and there out of frustration.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way!" I enunciated clearly.

"No." Leah was equally clear and emphatic in her response. "You see now? You see why I'm so against that girl coming back here… into our lives again? She brings nothing but trouble. She hasn't even been back for a week yet and already you're ready to fight a human for her! Something that you've… we've vowed never, ever to do."

Leah's blistering tirade had a weirdly calming effect on me. I realized that she was completely right on one crucial detail. Dylan was human… and no matter how mad he made me, I couldn't hit him.

I calmed myself down and decided to work out my differences with Dylan in more mature fashion than getting into a fight. Although a fight would have been far more physically satisfying at this point of time… especially since it would've helped me get rid of some of the excess energy my interrupted kiss had generated within me.

Once I was calm enough, I started once again in Bella's direction, intending to have a one on one conversation with Dylan. Embry immediately moved away but neither Leah nor Sam were so easy to placate. I felt like I should be offended that they didn't trust their own alpha but unfortunately there was some merit in their behavior.

"Guys… I'm fine. Really… I'm not going to hurt him. Trust me." I assured them calmly. "I just need to clarify some things. So that's all I'm gonna do… have a conversation with him. Okay? Are we cool?"

Both of them searched my eyes carefully and let me go only when they were sure that I meant every word I said.

Bella and Dylan were already prancing around on the dance floor when I reached there and I took great pleasure in interrupting their dance right in the middle of a song.

"Hey Dylan, I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Dylan appeared confused at my unexpected request. Bella appeared downright suspicious. "Uh sure… I guess…"

"Bells, would you mind excusing us for a sec here?" I gave her a reassuring smile so that she knew that she had nothing to worry about. I could still see the questions in her eyes but she relented and let us go without creating any fuss.

I walked away from the crowd of the bonfire and led Dylan a discreet distance away… close enough to be within hearing distance of the pack in case of any trouble but far enough to give at least a semblance of privacy.

"Okay… so what's your problem?" I cut right to the chase.

The confusion on his face deepened. "Uh… what problem? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Alright fair enough… Let me rephrase my question. Why are you going out of your way to show me how close you and Bella are to each other? What's your motive? What are you trying to accomplish?"

A malicious smirk lit up his face. "Why? Is it bothering you?"

A sudden, wild hope flared within me. Instead of answering his question, I asked him one myself, "You're doing this on purpose? Did she put you up to this?"

"Oh no! She has no idea that you're even bothered by any of this..."

Of course not… why would Bella want to make me jealous? The hope died as suddenly as it had flared.

"So what then… What in the world is your problem? You hardly know me!" my voice was unknowingly raised in frustration and before I knew it, we were surrounded by the entire pack and Bella.

"Everything okay, Jake?" Sam asked patiently.

'_Godammit!'_

"Yeah. Don't worry."

"Jake, Dylan… can someone please tell me what's going on here? Did I miss something? Are you alright Dylan?"

Great… Just fucking great! Even Bella felt the need to ask 'him' if he was alright! As if I was gonna eat him up alive! And how I hated the fact that she hurried over to him, touching his arm, not even bothered about the fact that I was standing right here… not even five feet away! And what galled me even more was the fact that not even 10 minutes had passed since she'd been in my arms, raising her lips… to accept 'my' kiss! Once again I had the overwhelming urge to rearrange some of the Dylan's teeth and I had to clench my fists at my sides and physically hold myself together to control that urge.

"Oh… nothing much. Jake and I were just getting to know each other, right Jake?" The smug bastard was completely aware of what I was feeling and he was enjoying my misery completely. "In fact, I was just about to tell him about how you and I used to live together in London." He gave me a reckless grin.

"Dylan!" She hissed reproachfully, her cheeks stained bright red with color.

It took me some time to process his words and Bella's reaction to them but the moment his words sank in, a red haze descended on my eyes and all logic deserted me. All I could see was the image of him and my Bella in bed together… doing unspeakable things to each other. I barely held on to my human self but wasn't aware enough of my surroundings to control my instincts completely. Before I knew it, I was at his side, holding his collar in one hand and about to smash in his face with the other.

I felt Quil, Embry, Sam, Paul and Jared besides me, trying to hold me back and pull me off Dylan, but they were having limited success.

"JAKE!" Bella's shrill, scared cry brought me back to my senses.

I hurriedly snatched my hands off of the cowering Dylan, mumbled a quick apology and walked off… trying to cool down the waves of anger still pulsing through me.

"Jake!" I heard Bella yell behind me but I was in no mood to wait and have a conversation with her. I was still trying to assimilate the image Dylan's words had provoked… still trying to come to terms with the fact that all the while she'd been hiding from me, she'd been in his arms…

I heard her panting breath behind me which could only mean that she'd followed me.

"Go away, Bella. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Why not? And what the hell is wrong with you?" I refused to answer her and kept on walking ahead. Finally she got frustrated and yelled out loud. "Will you stop it? Just stop for a minute and look in my eyes! You can't can you? You're ashamed of your behavior, aren't you? I knew it!"

Her words irritated me to no end. "Why should I be ashamed Bella… why? What did I do that was so wrong, huh? Why do you naturally assume that the fault lies with me?"

She looked completely flabbergasted. "Jake… wha… you're really asking me that question? After what just happened? After you almost attacked Dylan? And by the way, where the hell do you get off taking that tone to me? I should be upset with you and not the other way around. You behaved abominably and you know it! How could you Jake? He could've been seriously hurt!"

A huge part of me truly was ashamed of my behavior and couldn't help realizing how right she was but another part of me couldn't help comparing this situation to the past… when all she'd ever done was take Edward's side against mine. And it was that side that lashed out in anger.

"Me? You think I behaved badly? And what about your 'boy-toy' back there? Don't you think he was just a little bit out of line too…Deliberately trying to incite me? Touching you, mauling you… right in front of my eyes! And what about you, my dear Bella? Aren't you at fault here too? Jumping from my arms right into his… You know, now that I think about it, there's a special name for women who behave like you did."

For a moment, she looked taken aback at the venom in my voice. Then, she grasped the full meaning of my words and her eyes blazed in anger. I did nothing to stop her when she raised her hand to deliver a stinging slap. "You bastard… how dare you?"

"I take it you don't agree with my assessment. So I guess I'm to be the only scapegoat here… like always." Suddenly the fight seemed to seep out of me. "Oh why the hell do I even care? Forget it Bella! Just go back… I'm sure your precious Dylan needs you right now. Just leave me alone!"

"Oh you're one to talk, you bastard! If you think Dylan and I were clinging to each other, what the hell would you call what you and your precious Sammy were doing? She was wrapped around you tighter than wrapping paper on a gift… and you seemed to be enjoying every minute of it! And then, the minute she turned her back, you were all too willing to flirt with me! What right do you have to be upset with me you sanctimonious bastard?!?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked in bafflement.

Her eyes were narrowed in anger. "Don't play dumb! What the hell do you think I'm talking about, you moron?? I'm talking about the stunt you and your Barbie doll pulled on me!"

I was confused beyond belief. "Hold on… just hold on for one damn minute. You think there's something going on between Sammy and me? What in the world would lead you to believe such an insane thing? She's just a friend… more like a sister."

To my consternation, Bella threw back her head and laughed disparagingly. "You actually expect me to believe that, that woman… that 'slut' is just your friend?? Oh come on 'Jakey'… do me a favor and at least don't lie to me. What do you take me for… an idiot?"

Alright, I was seriously baffled at how this argument had suddenly turned into a situation where I felt the need to defend and explain myself. "No, seriously… I'm telling you the truth."

I could see that she was still having trouble believing me. "Then you're the idiot… and blind to boot! There's no way in hell that that woman thinks of you as a friend, let alone as a brother! I'm amazed that an astute, intelligent guy like you is still so oblivious about such things. What do you think she was trying to do back there when she was going on and on about how people change and all that bullshit?"

I still had no idea what she was talking about and I think she realized that.

"Oh you blind fool… she was trying to mark her territory… warn me away from you, so to speak. How could you be around a person day in and day out and not realize that they have feelings for you! And moreover, how could you let her get away with her behavior if you don't share her feelings?

"What behavior? There was nothing different about her behavior. That's how she always behaves. And don't think you're gonna get away with turning this whole thing on me."

"What behavior!?! Good GOD!! You guys were practically fucking each other in full view of everyone at the bonfire and you ask me what behavior??"

I was outraged. "Oh is that so? WE were behaving badly is it? And you are all that is sweet and innocent, isn't it?! Jeez… you make me sick! Your little friend back there had his hands all over you… and you looked happy about it! You were making 'goo-goo' eyes at each other for heaven's sake! And let's just say, if you had gotten any more touchy-feely, you could've been arrested for public indecency!

She rolled her eyes haughtily. "Oh please! We had nothing on you and your precious Sammy, trust me! At least I wasn't behaving like a cheap whore like your little girlfriend was."

"Ouch! Careful darling, you're beginning to sound just a little bit jealous."

"That's because I AM jealous, you idiot!" And then, as if realizing the import of her words, she blushed a brilliant red and turned and started running back to the bonfire… away from me.

I had to admit that I was completely stunned by her admission but at the same time, a wild elation was beginning to spurt inside me. Just the thought of Bella being jealous over me was enough for me to want to perform cartwheels over. I knew I had to stop her before she reached the crowd again. I knew that I couldn't leave this thing just hanging between us. I had no idea what I would do or say to her right now, but that didn't stop me from running behind her.

"Bella! Bells! Will you stop for a minute, please? Just stop and talk to me." I pleaded with her.

She didn't even pause in her flight.

I finally caught up with her. I caught a hold of her arm and swiftly turned her around to face me.

Her words were still ringing in my ears causing my heart to thud in joy. For the first time in my life, I felt completely robbed of speech. I just looked down at her… disbelief and awe mingling inside me to form a heady cocktail.

I slowly became aware that even though she was turned towards me, she still hadn't raised her eyes towards mine. In fact, it seemed that she was determined to not meet my eyes even though I was silently willing her to. I wanted to see what she was thinking in those beautiful, expressive eyes of hers.

Finally I gave up on the silent communication and voiced my thoughts out loud. "Bella, are you planning to look at me, ever?"

She shook her head mutely still without looking at me.

"What? You're never planning on looking at me, ever? Don't you think that'll be a little bit difficult considering the fact that I plan on looking at you a whole lot in the near and distant future?" I asked teasingly. "What're you going to do, blindfold yourself?"

Her eyes finally snapped up to meet mine, a slow anger blazing in them and searing me with their heat.

"Ah… much better." I said with satisfaction.

Her eyes dropped to the ground again and I sighed in disappointment.

"Talk to me Bells. Tell me what's bothering you."

"Nothing…" I waited patiently, convinced that there was more to it than that.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out after a minute or two of silence. Ahh… here it comes.

"I'm sorry Jake. I'm being such an idiot. I know I am." What the hell was she talking about? "I'm such an idiot for behaving like this. For being jealous of you and Sammy… for yelling at you and behaving like such a total bitch… it's just that, I can't stand the thought of anyone else's hands on you! Seeing her wrapped all around you drove me crazy! I wanted to kill her, maim her, tear her hair out from its roots. And I'm sorry for feeling that.."

'_I'm not Bells, honey… in fact; your words are music to my ears…'_ I was sure I was grinning like a Cheshire cat. But Bella wasn't done with her ramblings.

"I'm sorry Jacob… I'm sorry for all of those things. But most of all, I'm sorry for behaving like an idiot and going along with Dylan's plan just to make you jealous… I'm so sorry…"

Her admission tore through my body, liquefying my organs in a spurt of heat and leaving nothing but an intense craving behind. I groaned aloud, realizing the futility of resistance. There was no way I was going to be able to ignore that… no way I could forget it… and no way I'd ever forgive myself if I didn't act on it!

So, I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances. I yanked her into my arms and kissed her… not stopping to ask for her permission, not stopping to evaluate the consequences of my actions.

She froze within the circle of my arms… completely unresponsive. I panicked, afraid that she was upset with me. Then, just as I decided to pull back, I felt her lips move against mine… softly, responsively.

I couldn't stop the need that her shy, tentative response aroused in me. Desire sang through me, heating my blood, sending it singing through my veins and forcing my arms to pull her closer.

I took her bottom lip in my mouth, alternatively nibbling on it desperately and soothing it with broad sweeps of my tongue. She moaned softly in the back of her throat in response to the feel of my tongue, sending shockwaves through my whole body.

I couldn't believe how responsive she was…

Then, suddenly, as if responding to the nameless yearning within me, she rose to her tiptoes and threw her arms around me, clinging to me tightly, causing her breasts to be crushed against my chest.

God! Every single thing she was doing was driving me wild.

I thrust my hands in her glorious hair, pulling her even closer to me.

I couldn't bare it anymore. I had to taste her. I ran my tongue over her lips, silently urging her to give me entrance. The moment her lips opened, I plunged my tongue within her mouth. Immediately, her taste… peppermint and vodka… exploded on my tongue… overwhelming me, almost bringing me down to my knees.

I pulled her blindly towards a palm tree at the edge of the beach and when I felt one at my back, I turned around swiftly, pinning her to the tree with my body, never once breaking the kiss throughout this whole process.

Now that we had a surface to rest against and I no longer had to support her weight, my hands were free to roam. I swept them up her back, bunching her hair up with one of them while the other one played with the exposed skin of her back.

At the back of my mind, a tiny voice of reason was pointing out that this little kiss of ours was fast getting out of hand. I ruthlessly silenced it, unwilling to take any action that would put an end to such mind numbing pleasure. The logic I used was simple. She was an equal and willing participant. We were both adults and were free to do as we wanted. And I wasn't completely wrong either… she was a willing, in fact, eager participant.

Our tongues battled for dominance, while she untangled her hands from around my neck and ran them over my chest. I sucked in a deep breath, suddenly feeling short of breath. I pulled away from her a little, taking in great gulps of air and observing her keenly, wanting to ensure that she was completely aware of her actions and not operating under the influence of alcohol.

Her heavy-lidded, bold, lust filled gaze met mine before she pulled my head down to hers once again.

My heart quickly slammed out of control.

Even with her on her tiptoes and me leaning down, she still couldn't manage to reach her arms all the way around my neck. She made a rough sound of frustration in her throat that drove me crazy and then solved the problem by hopping up in my arms and hanging on to my neck with all her might till I got the message and pulled her up and into my arms. Then she quickly wrapped her legs around my waist, securing her current position, getting comfortable and rubbing against my hardness in the process. I could feel her heat even through all the layers of clothes between us.

The sensation of her wrapped around me that intimately made me go weak in the knees. I quickly leaned back against the tree so that I wouldn't make a fool out of myself by collapsing in a disgraceful heap at her feet.

I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that here I was werewolf extraordinaire, defender of innocents, defeater of all things evil and yet… this tiny slip of a girl had the power to throw my breath out of whack and bring me down to my knees.

She was now running her hands over my back whereas one of mine was still busily playing with her hair while the other was splayed on her lower back, playing with the expanse of skin… marveling at the softness of her and the way she fit into my arms so perfectly.

'_Could I…? Was it too soon…? Too much…? Maybe one small touch couldn't hurt much… no... I really shouldn't…'_

Just as I was contemplating taking things further, she broke away from me with a gasp.

"Oh God, Jake… we have to stop!"

"I know… I know…" I groaned in frustration. This was not how I'd anticipated this encounter going. I never intended to be such an uncouth barbarian with her. I mean, come on, this was Bella we were talking about here. She deserved to be treated better than this. She deserved to be treated like a queen… no… a Goddess. She definitely did not deserve to be pressed up against a tree and kissed by an animal.

I mean, where was my finesse… that technique that normally had woman panting after me? I'd behaved like a barbarian… plain and simple and I was ashamed by my behavior.

And then, I got a good look at her face… and I promptly freaked out. She had a weird look on her face… a look that definitely had me worried. It was not the look of a woman who'd just been thoroughly kissed and enjoyed it. It was the look of a woman who got carried away and regretted it… God, I hope she didn't regret it.

I gently set her down on her feet.

"What's wrong, Bells honey? Are you upset? God… I'm sorry I'm such an animal. I didn't hurt you, did I? Say something honey! I'm freaking out here!! Oh, please tell me I didn't hurt you…"

"No no… Jake… I'm fine. You didn't hurt me. Don't worry about that. I know you wouldn't ever hurt me like that. But Jake… we can't do this… we just can't!"

'_Oh… of course…'_

My heart broke into millions of tiny little pieces.

"Oh. I get it. Of course you're right. We shouldn't have done that. What was I thinking? Don't worry… it won't ever happen again." I scrubbed my hands over my face, hoping to mask the hurt and humiliation from her gaze.

"No… No… Jake, you're misunderstanding the situation here. Let me see if I can explain it in a better way. I'm not saying that I don't want to do this…" She blushed "…'what we just did'… with you. What I'm trying to say, very badly might I add, is that we shouldn't do this now… before we've clarified everything between us… before we've spoken about the reasons behind the breakup of my marriage. What I'm trying to say is that, just like last time… I'm broken Jake. I'm not whole. And after I tell you everything, 'you' might not 'want' to kiss me. You might not be interested in me… in that way…"

"Uh oh! That sounds ominous!" I tried to make a joke.

"Jake…" Apparently she wasn't in the mood for it.

"Oh Bells, honey… Listen to me. You're my best friend… no… you're my bestest friend in the whole wide world. And nothing… not your love for the leech, not your absence and not time could change that. It's a miracle that I've even found you again. I can't imagine anything… and I mean anything in the world, that'd be bad enough to keep me away from you… not after I almost lost you. Whatever it is… no matter how bad… we'll deal with it, okay? Oh yeah, and one more thing… Nothing and I mean nothing… is ever gonna make me want to not kiss you again… trust me on that! After all, I've only waited six freaking years to be able to do that. So relax….and come here…"

"But Jake…"

I groaned in frustration. "Now what…?"

"Whoo hoo Jakey boy… are you guys decent back there or do we need to close our eyes? Now, we don't mind seeing Bella in all her glory but you, we're not so sure that'd be such a good idea. We have trouble getting the occasional accidental images out of our minds as it is. We wouldn't want to make it seem as if we are spying on you on purpose would we?"

'_Goddammit! These guys have the absolute worst timing of anyone who has ever lived!!'_

"Jesus, what'd you guys want now? Can't you ever mind your own business?"

"Nope." Embry and Quil were disgustingly cheerful, almost obscenely so. My glare had no effect on their happy constitution either. They just stood there, grinning at me like idiots.

"Shit! What the fuck do you want?? You're obviously not leaving anytime soon… so how about you just tell me what you want already so that I can give it to you and you can leave me to conduct my own personal life in peace, huh?"

"Oh nothing really… we were just observing the fact that you look surprisingly pretty wearing make-up. In fact, lipstick suits you brilliantly; you should wear it more often. Shame Bella's not wearing any though. Ah well… now if only we had a camera with us and could take a picture of you at this moment. Oh… oops… totally forgot. We kinda do, right Em? I mean, we can show everyone everything we just saw and especially how Jake looked in our thoughts, right?

'_Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!!!'_

"SHUT UP!!" I roared at both of them loudly…so loudly in fact that they both shut up right quick from the shock… but, unfortunately, I was not quick enough. The damage had already been done.

Bella had a progressively horrified look on her face and I could cheerfully have strangled my friends right now for putting that look on her face. I had to do some damage control ASAP…

"Bella… don't worry. These guys are assholes. Don't pay any attent…"

She didn't wait to hear the rest of what I was going to say. Without even sparing a glance at anyone of us, she made a beeline towards the bonfire and presumably, her friends.

"FUCK! You guys are dickheads, you know that right?" I roared at my asshole friends.

They… at least… had enough sense to look ashamed.

"Sorry man. We didn't know she was gonna take our kidding around so seriously. I mean she's known us for how long now? When has she ever known us to be serious about anything, huh? But come on man, you know we were joking, right? I mean, of course we wouldn't have shared what we saw with anyone else… I mean, not that we saw anything, right Quil?" Embry hastened to reassure me.

They both looked pretty darn pathetic and I knew that no matter how much they might kid around, their hearts were in the right places. They wouldn't ever do anything to intentionally cause anyone harm, especially me. So I cut them a break despite my anger.

"Alright fine… apology accepted. Now get out of here before I change my mind and beat the hell out of both of you."

I quickly made my way to the area of the party, hoping to talk to Bella and make amends with her… put her at ease, only to discover that she and her friends had already left the party.

'_Bloody fucking hell! This is just prefect! And just when things were starting to finally go somewhere between us! Oh well… can't do anything about it now. I just have to go after her and somehow convince her that my friends were assholes, yes… but well intentioned assholes at that. No big deal… Yeah right!'_

I quickly explained the whole situation to Sam before making my way to the trees in order to phase.

When I reached Bella's house, I saw that their car was just pulling into the driveway. Bella got out of the car and I could see that she was still visibly upset. My heart ached but there was nothing I could do about it at the moment. The leech, Jasper, must've sensed her emotions because both he and Alice were by her side quicker than I could blink and they ushered her gently into the house. I decided to give them some time to calm her down before I intruded on them.

I carefully made my way back into the tree. I didn't want the bloodsuckers to sense my presence and alert Bella in advance. At the same time, I wanted to be close enough to hear their conversation. I wanted to have a prior intimation of Bella's state of mind.

I could hear the tiny one, Alice; drag Bella upstairs under the pretext of helping her to get her make-up off. The moment they were behind closed doors, the interrogation began.

"Alright… what's the matter? Why do you look upset? What did the dog do? Did he hurt you? I'm gonna fucking kill him if he did!"

I was royally pissed off.

'_Why the hell do they always have to think the absolute worst of me? As if I would ever do anything to get Bella hurt in any way! Didn't they know by now that I'd do pretty much anything to ensure her safety and wellbeing?'_

"No Alice." Bella sighed with barely contained impatience. "He didn't hurt me. He never would."

'_You tell her, Bells!'_

"Hmmpf… whatever! Then what's the matter honey? What's got you so upset?" And then, in an utterly horrified voice, "Eeeeewwww!! Why do you smell of 'dog'???"

I couldn't stop the proud smirk from blooming on my face and was thankful beyond belief that I wasn't around Bella… that would surely have warranted a smack on the head.

"Dammit! Can't a gal have any secrets around here? Damn supernatural senses to hell! First Embry and Quil and now you! God I just wish someone around here would start respecting people's privacies!!"

Her words were making me feel really guilty for infringing on her privacy but not guilty enough to actually stop doing it.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry! Simmer down, Bella. You don't have to answer the question."

"Thank You!" I could almost imagine the ironically sarcastic expression on Bella's face right now.

"Oh you're most welcome. Anyway, I'm smart enough to figure out what must've happened." I rolled my eyes exasperatedly. _'Jesus, leech… modest much?'_ "I take it things progressed beyond mere talking between you and the mongrel, huh?"

'_That was putting it mildly… but yeah…'_

"And is that why you're upset?"

I tensed in anticipation. I felt like a sick bastard for shamelessly continuing to listen in on what was clearly at this point, a very private conversation but I couldn't stop listening… certainly not at this stage. I had to hear her unbiased, unfiltered thoughts on our 'encounter'.

To my intense frustration, Bella remained silent. The leech went on. "Bella, talk to me sweetie. How am I supposed to figure out what went on if you don't tell me? Ugh! I hate werewolves!! Not being able to see what happens sucks big time!!" The irritation in her voice was enough to set me off into silent gales of laughter. The leech went on with the game of twenty questions that she seemed to be playing. "Bella, did you guys talk? About what happened with you and Edward? Did you tell him everything that happened? Did he get mad or something?" and then, more tentatively, "Bella, did you tell him about the baby?"

'_WHAT?!? Baby?? Did she just say baby?!? Oh fucking hell! She has a baby with the freaking bloodsucker?!? NO, NO, NO, NO NO, NO!!!!!!!!!'_

**A/N:- Sooo… what'd think?? Guys… seriously… I'm freaking out here!! As cliché as it sounds, I've never written anything like this before and even though both my beta's assure me that its fine, I can't help being crazy nervous about it!! So… put me out of my misery and let me know what you think.**

**By the way, I think my 'lecture' in the last chapter helped cos I got the highest number of reviews for that chapter as compared to any of the other chapters before that. Soooo… "DITTO" Hehehe… No, seriously… Review, Please?!? **

**Also… as usual… a HUGE 'Thank You' to my superb, wonderful, amazing Beta's – Cheryl and Ashley!! I couldn't have done half as well without their help, guidance and support. They help me out so much in the storyline and characterizations that I should probably consider making them co-authors of this story! ;D**

**Seriously, Cheryl… Ashley… you both are the absolute best Beta's a gal could ever ask for! And I want to clarify this… there would be no 'Unforgettable' without either of you. Without your help, who knows, I might've not been able to get this far. You guys seriously rock! **

**In case any of you has not yet checked out Ashley's stories, please do so. She publishes on FF under the name augustblack. She's a wonderful author and all of her stories are definitely worth a read! **

**And lastly… just to ensure your willingness to review… I won't be posting the next chapter till I receive a satisfactory number of reviews! Oops… dammit… I'd promised myself I'd never use threats… but hey, whatever works! :P**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: - Still not mine, dammit!! **

**Okay, so, I'm really sorry for the delay folks. This time it's not really my fault though. It is officially the fault of the producers and directors of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Hahaha… I saw the movie and got completely sucked into the wonderful, brilliant HP fandom (once again… and to the exclusion of everything else)!! So, don't blame me! I tell you, I had the darnedest time getting out… but get out I did. Hopefully you guys aren't too ticked off and this... the chapter… serves to appease your wrath at least somewhat. Anyway… without further ado…**

BPOV

"Bella! Bella! Wake up, honey. Come on… that's it. Be a good girl and open your eyes."

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the bright light suddenly penetrating my eyes. It took a few minutes for my blurry vision to clear up but when it did, I became aware that five sets of anxious eyes were peering at me, pointedly, waiting for _something_ to happen…

I also became aware that I was lying on the floor of my bedroom and everyone present was kneeling around me.

"What happened?" I asked groggily.

"You fainted, honey." Renee replied, matter-of-factly. After all this wasn't the first time I'd done something like this. "Don't you remember?"

Clarity returned… along with the gut wrenching sorrow. Of course I remembered. How could I not?

My eyes immediately snapped to Alice's face and if I'd previously had any doubts as to what'd happened; her guilty/ashamed expression dispelled them immediately.

I gave her a 'what I hoped was a reassuring smile but what I was sure was more of a grimace' before trying to get up off the floor.

"Careful, Izzy…" Dylan was quick to chasten me. That pet name had come into existence after I'd broken down into tears the first…and the last time he'd called me Bells. "Don't try to get up too suddenly. In fact, I'm not sure you should be getting up at all. You hit your head pretty hard. I could hear the sound of it all the way downstairs. Are you absolutely positive we shouldn't take her to the emergency room, Jasper? I mean, she could have a concussion."

Right at that instant, I became conscious of a pair of ice-cold hands running over various parts of my body, looking me over for signs of injury while another pair, was being used on my head as an impromptu ice-pack.

"Hey no… No hospitals! And definitely no emergency rooms. I'm perfectly fine. Really." I hastened to reassure them. "I've got a hard head. Trust me."

Nobody seemed to pay me any attention.

"Jasper?" Lisa and Dylan appeared anxious for his 'expert' opinion.

"Yes, I'm sure. She appears fine. No broken bones or bleeding limbs…which in itself is a miracle where Bella is concerned. There is a small bump on her head but I'm almost sure that it isn't anything to be worried about. I say… let her get up and evaluate her own condition. And of course, we'll keep an eye on her. If she shows any signs of being ill or acts…well, you know… weirder than usual, then we'll take her to a hospital." He winked at me as he said this.

Thank God! At least someone was being logical about this. I gave him a weak grin and resumed my efforts to sit up. There was a mad scramble as five pair of hands reached for me, all eager to help me up and I couldn't help rolling my eyes.

I didn't say anything though…I just couldn't… I was too busy trying to hold myself together. The waves of pain, of hurt and despair were still present, waiting in the background, threatening to overwhelm me once again as soon as I let my guard down.

Alice's words were echoing in my mind over and over again. Just waiting and searching for a vulnerable moment… for a chink in my armor… poised to strike. Deadly, dangerous… like a poisonous snake…

As I glanced her way once again, I noticed a pinched look on her face. She was looking at me with a look of naked remorse on her face. "I'm so sorry." She mouthed wordlessly, desperately.

I tried for a reassuring smile once again and when I failed… once again… I mouthed back, "It's alright. Don't worry about it." Some of the torment on her face seemed to ease up.

I stood up gingerly and walked on shaky legs towards my bed only to plop down ungracefully onto it as soon as it was remotely within reach.

The worried expressions only seemed to intensify and I hastened to distract them before the next round of questioning could begin.

"Can someone get me a glass of water, please?"

"Of course, sweetie… Right away." Renee hurried out of the room, followed closely by Lisa.

The silence in the room soon became oppressive; but it couldn't be helped… I couldn't acknowledge what Alice had said in Dylan's presence… not when the potential of my already broken heart, breaking into even smaller pieces was so huge.

"Hey sweetheart, can I talk to Alice and Jasper alone for a minute?" I pleaded with Dylan, knowing that I was asking a lot of him – that I'd given them all and especially him, a huge scare – but at the same time needing desperately to clear the air with Alice who I just knew was killing herself with guilt right about now.

As soon as Dylan had reluctantly departed as well, Alice rushed to my side and yanked me into her arms roughly.

"Oh honey… I'm so so so so sorry!! Please say you forgive me! Please? I didn't mean to upset you… I really didn't. God, I'm such an idiot!" Her voice was tormented, her remorse was glaringly obvious… making me feel worse than I already was.

"Alice, sweetie… you have nothing to be sorry for." I said softly. "You didn't do anything wrong. You just asked me a question. You didn't know that I'd react so strongly to it. I should be the one who apologizes to you. I'm the one who's at fault here."

The stupid, useless, ever present tears were dripping down my face silently… just like they did every single time anything pertaining to this subject came up.

Just then, before anything else could be said, I heard a sound that chilled me right down to the bones.

"Awwwoooooooo!" A high-pitched howl sounded through the night… penetrating the silence and raising goose-bumps throughout my body.

The sound was so tortured, so filled with pain that I immediately knew something terrible had happened. I threw a panicked glance at Jasper and Alice. What the hell was going on here?

"Shit!" This coming from the normally calm, cool and collected Jasper only served to increase my anxiousness. "Don't worry Bella. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. But I'll still make a quick run through the area… just to put your mind at ease. How does that sound?"

"Thanks Jasper." I mumbled, smiling at him gratefully. Would I ever be able to repay their kindness… their generosity?

Jasper slipped out through my bedroom window… stealthily, soundlessly and disappeared out into the inky darkness.

'_Oh God… let everything be alright. Let it just be a false alarm. Let no one be hurt or in danger. Please, please, please…' The litany continued endlessly in my head._

I was prepared for the long haul, convinced that Jasper wouldn't return soon and thus I was immensely surprised when he was back in no time. He appeared antsy which did nothing to relieve my feeling of doom.

"What is it Jasper? Is it the pack? Is someone hurt? Did something happen to anyone? Is Jake hurt? Tell me he's alright? Did you see him? Tell me exactly what's wrong! Take me there!" I was becoming more and more hysterical by the minute.

Finally, Alice let out a shrill whistle. I gaped at her in shock. I hadn't even known Alice could whistle. The look on her face was a weird combination… unrepentant but shameful at the same time.

"What?" She looked at Jasper and me stubbornly. "It was the only way to shut her up." She answered our silent question bashfully.

I looked at Jasper… he threw me a quick, helpless grin which I couldn't help but return. I knew exactly what 'the look' meant. It was kind of an acknowledgement on both our parts of just how crazy we both were about this crazy, bite-size 'person' that was his wife. After all… she was the glue between us… Jasper and I were bound by our mutual love for Alice.

The moment passed quickly and Jasper's somber expression returned as did my anxiety… multiplied ten-fold.

"Alright… I have some good news and some bad news." He looked at me apologetically. "Which would you like to hear first?"

"Uhh… I guess the good news." I answered after some consideration.

"Okay then, no one's hurt or anything like that. The whole pack is hale and hearty. Does that make you feel better?"

I let out a sigh of relief, the tension flowing out of my body and leaving me trembling slightly in reaction. "That's amazing news." I felt light-hearted, like I could walk on air and dance on water. "That's the most important part. I don't even care about anything else… not even your 'bad-news'. It can't affect me now."

"Um… I'm not so sure about that. Why don't you hear what I have to say before you jump to any conclusions?"

"Pfft! Okay… go ahead. Tell me… you're obviously anxious to."

"I smelled Jacob's scent just a little way away from the house Bella."

'_So? Big Deal! Of course Jake's scent would be everywhere around this place. This was his home after all… his territory. He and the pack would've been running patrols around here… especially with Alice and Jasper around.'_

But the anticipatory glance on his face told me there was something much more to this story than what I was attributing. In fact, the look on his face made me downright uneasy. I waited patiently for him to continue.

"The scent appeared fresh… very fresh. Not even 15 minutes old." The uneasiness grew… making me feel queasy, almost nauseous.

Still, I didn't fully comprehend what he was trying to tell me till he actually spelled it out to me.

"Bella, I think the mutt was here… in the woods some time ago. I think he heard everything we spoke about. And I think something he heard made him very unhappy…"

'_HOLY SHIT! Jesus! Jesus Christ! Holy… hell!! Shit! Fuck! Shit! Shit!!'_

I threw both of them a desperate, panicky look not even knowing what to say, much less do…

The ticking of the clock in the room reminded me of a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode… like Jasper's words… just waiting to blow away my carefully constructed life to smithereens…

Finally even Alice's endless supply of patience seemed to run out. "Bella, look at me and give me an honest answer to my question please. Can you do that?" I nodded wordlessly. "Good! Did you or did you not talk to Jacob about the circumstances behind the break-up of your marriage?"

I shook my head… still incapable of words.

"God, Bella, what were you thinking getting down and dirty with him without telling him everything??" she exploded. "I can't believe you did that. You're just setting yourself up for a world of hurt, sweetie. How do you think he'll react now that he's found out about it? It would have been so much better if it'd come from you! You could have explained everything and clarified any doubts he had."

"Why didn't you tell him when you had the chance, huh? Why did you wait for this? What, did you think you could hide it from him forever? I wish you'd told him… and before this friendship, relationship or whatever it is that you guys have, had gone this far…You should've said something especially before you went and kissed him! What're you going to do now?"

I threw a terrified look at her. If Alice was this worked up about something… other than fashion of course… then the end of the world was surely at hand.

"Alice quit your lecturing. You're being unproductive and you're freaking Bella out. Besides, what's done is done. Nothing she can do about it now. Let's just think of some constructive was to overcome this problem, okay?"

'_Thank You, Jasper.'_

He winked at me almost as if he'd heard me.

"What do we do now… that's the important thing in this whole mess?" Jasper spoke with quiet authority. "What is it that you want to do Bella?"

'_What do you want to do? Sit here, and worry all night about the kind of things that must be going through Jacob's mind or go to him, right now…in the middle of the night and explain the whole mess away? Which do you think is the better option? Hmmm… what a dilemma…'_

'_Jesus! You're such an idiot!! Why in hell would you want to go through hours of torment when you have the option of ending it right now? Are you a sick, masochistic person who enjoys pain?!? Forget it… don't answer that question. Just get over there, bite the bullet and put yourself and Jacob out of this misery.'_

"I think we… I should go to La Push right now and explain the situation to him. I don't want him to hate me… at least not more than he already must. And I especially don't want him to suffer even a moment longer than he has to."

My resolve solidified, I stood up and choose a random pair of shoes and a thick coat. Even though it'd been warm earlier, now the temperature had dropped down significantly.

"Hold on a moment here. If you think, even for one moment, that we're going to let you go to meet the mutt, alone – while he's upset and possible angry – at this time of the night, you've got another think coming, missy!"

'_Missy?!? Really, Alice?'_

"We're going with you and that's that! I would never be able to live with myself if you got hurt. Moreover, Edward would _kill_ me… kill us both if we just stood by and allowed you to walk into danger all by yourself. We're coming with you and that's final!" Alice stated in a firm, 'don't mess with me' tone.

I looked at Jasper hoping for his help in getting Alice to change her mind but he gave me a helpless shrug stating wordlessly but clearly that he was on her side in this one.

How the hell did I always manage to get myself in such situations? How in hell was I going to go over to the reservation now… without breaking the treaty, invoking the wrath of a highly skilled and deadly pack of werewolves who were just looking for the tiniest excuse to tear my friends to shreds… and not land myself in the middle of a bloodbath??

I sank back to the bed dejectedly. Apparently I'd have to wait for the night to get over and everybody to become less agitated. Hopefully I'd be able to figure out some solution to the problem by that time that would involve talking to Jacob and keeping Alice and Jasper happy and satisfied all without breaking the treaty.

'_Jesus! You don't ask for much… do you?'_

"What's the matter now Bella? Quit dawdling will you? Get your ass in gear girl!" Alice huffed out impatiently.

I gaped at her in disbelief. Lord, she really was a lunatic.

"Um… I'm thinking that all of us heading over to La Push like this… practically in the middle of the night and with one already pissed off alpha is a very bad idea but what do I know, right? Oh what the hell… let's go! Maybe they'll welcome us with open hearts and then maybe they'll shower us with love and smother us in kisses. Oh… oh and then… they might even have a feast in our honor and then they'll shower us in gifts… What fun!! Let's go!!" The more sarcastic I got, the more the scowl on Alice's face deepened.

"Kissing the werewolves? Ugh!! Sooo not happening. Not in this lifetime at least, which basically means…_never_… considering the fact that I'm gonna live forever! Now can the wise cracks and let's move it."

I sighed in defeat. Oh why had I even bothered? Since when had I ever managed to knock any sense into Alice's stubborn head? But seriously, what the hell was she thinking?!?

"Alice, honey bunch, sweet cakes, pumpkin pie… Bella's right." I shot Jasper a grateful smile thankful that at least he wasn't losing his head over this. I knew that if anyone could convince Alice that this was a mistake it'd be Jasper.

One look at Alice's expression dashed any hopes I'd had of a 'reasonable' reaction on her behalf. She had a bull-headed expression on her face… the kind that she always got when she dug in her feet about something and refused to listen to any reason whatsoever.

"What's on your mind, Alice? What is it that you'd have us do? Do you want to break the treaty? Do you want to start a vampire – werewolf war? Is that what you'd like?" I almost wept in frustration, convinced that even this wouldn't get through that incredibly thick skull of hers.

Fortunately I had enough of my wits left that I remembered to whisper about the 'vampire – werewolf' part. Thank God and touch wood for that because, at this moment, it was the very last bit of common sense I had left. And the last thing that we needed right now was the others hearing about this conversation and either thinking I was mad and having me institutionalized or believing it to be true and complicating my life any further. Either one of those scenarios would be disastrous.

My frustration reached unparalleled limits when I focused on the smirk on Alice's face. I wish I could shake some sense into her.

"Weeelll… I'm thinking… what's the use of having a werewolf as a best friend if you can't even get him to bend some minor rules for you, right?"

"What?" I asked dumbly, convinced that I was missing something here.

"Oh come on, Bella! Don't play dumb. All I'm saying here is that you call your doggie and ask him for a favor. Just ask him to bend a few rules, just for tonight, mind. Tell him that you and he need to talk and that we aren't about to let you go there unless we come with you. I'm sure he'll see reason Bella. I mean, the boy can't deny you anything and you know it. Just make use of your womanly wiles, your sexual prowess or your hold on him… whatever you want to call it."

Her words made me blush a bright tomato red but I tried to remain stern and glare at her… not liking her implications one tiny bit.

"Yeah right! That's not going to work Alice. Jake's not going to want to see me right now as it is. And with you guys tagging along, it's gonna be pretty darn impossible to get him to agree to this."

"Okay, you might have a point there. So what? Let's just say we're circumventing the problem. No big deal…" Alice sounded almost gleeful. "Just call someone else. Sam maybe. After all he used to be the alpha not so long ago. He might still have a lot of influence in the pack. Or… do you know who his beta is? You could call him… whoever he is."

I started shaking my head even before she was done talking. They were good suggestions but I knew they wouldn't work. For one thing, I had absolutely no clue who Jake's beta was, so that was obviously was out of the question. And for another…if I went behind Jake's back by calling another member of his pack, he'd hate me more… not to mention, it might get 'said' pack member in shitloads of trouble.

"What now? Ugh! Why do you have to over think and overanalyze everything?" Alice's irritation was apparent. "Just call him for heaven's sake! It doesn't hurt to at least try, does it?"

"Didn't you tell us that Jacob's father is a tribal elder? How about you call him? If he agrees, there's no way anybody could get upset later, right?" Jasper broke in, quietly.

'_YES! That could work… right? It had to. It just had to.'_

I gave them both a brilliant smile that immediately let them know that I was sold on to the idea and picked up my cell phone, dialing the number rapidly.

"Ooohh! Look at that. She knows his number by heart… even after all this time. How romantic!! Sigh!" Alice gushed falsely… batting her eyelashes and giving me a patently false smile.

"Shut up Alice." I reprimanded her half heartedly… willing myself to desperately not remember that I'd had the exact same thoughts myself a couple of days ago.

The phone went through, ringing steadily. My blood pressure shot up through the roof and my breath caught in my throat. Whatever little sense of calm I had left vanished without a trace as I was reminded of the reason behind this phone call.

'_Oh God Jacob… what did you hear? What're you thinking about right now? Do you hate me? Are you disgusted? Oh God… please don't pick up the phone! I don't want to discuss this over the phone. I want to look at you… see the look in your eyes when I tell you about this…'_

My anxiety increased with each ring that went by without an answer until I was just a bundle of nerves jumping at the slightest sound.

Finally, just as I'd convinced myself to hang up the phone, I heard a somber voice say "Hello"

Thank God… at least it wasn't Jake. "Uh h… hi Billy… Be… Bella here." I stammered nervously.

"Oh, hello Bella. How are you?"

"I'm fine." The silence dragged on for a couple of minutes. I somehow couldn't get the right words for what I had to ask him.

He must've gotten tired of just holding on to the receiver because he suddenly volunteered, "Jake's not here." I sagged in relief, the tension flowing out of me swiftly… making this task seem inadvertently easier. I was happy for the temporary reprieve.

"Uh… okay… but that's not why I called anyway. In fact, it was you I wanted to talk to in the first place."

"Oh? Is everything alright? Charlie's doing okay, right?" he inquired solicitously.

"Oh yeah, don't worry about him. He's doing just fine. No difference from this evening, in fact."

"Good, good. So… what is this about? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Um…uh… kinda… Yes." I stuttered and stammered before resolutely turning emphatic.

"Have you seen Jake this evening… after the bonfire I mean? Did he seem alright to you? Did he seem upset?" I asked, hoping to do this in the right way. I had to convince him that I needed to see Jake urgently, tonight before I went ahead and asked him for the enormous favor I meant to ask.

"Well… actually I haven't seen him yet but I did hear some yelling and some commotion a while ago. Why? What's the matter? Something wrong with Jake?" he suddenly sounded very worried.

"No… no… everything's fine, I think. But you don't have to worry about it. I mean, he's fine really… just that… he might or might not have overheard something earlier at my place that he didn't know about and he might or might not be upset about it…" I trailed off helplessly. God this was so much more difficult than I'd initially thought it might be.

"Go on Bella." Billy urged softly. What made me feel optimistic was the fact that I didn't hear any condemnation in his voice… only soft, unrelenting support.

"Well… I was hoping to come over there and talk to him about it… you know, give an explanation… that kinda thing?"

"Sure… sure Bella. Of course you can come over. Anytime. You know that. Since when have you had to ask for my permission to visit with Jake?" I could hear the smile in his voice and I tensed up once again. I don't think he'd be this receptive to the next part of the plan.

"Uh… since AliceandJasperwanttocomealongwithmeiguess…" I blurted out rapidly… hoping, praying that he either hadn't heard me right or for some reason wasn't able to decipher my ramble.

No such luck…

"Did you just say that Alice and Jasper want to come with you? Here? To the reservation?" His voice went up several octaves in the course of that conversation. Then I heard him take a deep breath. "You know that's impossible Isabella." I cringed. "You of all people know about the treaty. I can't believe you even asked. What made you think that I'd ever say yes?"

Oh God… this was mortifying beyond belief. I felt like a young kid who'd just been caught sneaking past her bedtime and was being reprimanded for it. Damn you Alice!

But I couldn't give up now… I'd come this far… he was gonna hate me anyway… might as well get in an explanation sideways in there. Maybe he'd at least be a little forgiving.

"Uh… well… I know… and I'm sorry for even asking. You're right, I do know better… but Billy, I really, really need to talk to Jake… tonight! It's imperative. And Alice and Jasper… you know how protective they are, right? So they won't let me leave alone. Please Billy? Jake sounded really upset with me." Yeah so okay, that was stretching the truth, but hey, whatever worked. "And he has every right to be. But I have to… no I _need_ to make things right with him! Please…? God, I've lived without his friendship for so long and I've just found him again and we're just getting back to normal and I don't want to lose him again… I couldn't bear it if I lost him now… please, please, Please? I assure you, Alice and Jasper will be on their best behavior. There'll be no trouble. I swear!"

There was nothing but silence on the other end of the line for the next couple of minutes and I held on with bated breath. Finally…

"Oh hell! I know I might regret this for the rest of my life… but… alright, fine… you and your leech friends can come over."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!" I almost danced around in joy.

"But…" Billy interrupted my exuberance with the warning in his tone. "…don't expect me to not share this information with the pack. They have to be informed about this and so I will… so Jake will know about this. And you know the rules… the moment your friends seem like they're a danger to any of us… well… you know what the consequences could be. Don't disappoint me, Bella, and don't betray my trust and generosity."

I felt like I should be snapping to attention, yelling "Sir, yes, sir!" Instead, I replied in a muted fashion, "Thank you Billy. This really means a lot to me. There'll be no trouble, I promise. Both Alice and Jasper will behave themselves. We'll be there in about 20 minutes. Bye."

"Come on guys… you heard the man. Let's go! We have twenty minutes so I guess that means Alice will be driving."

When we stepped out of the room, our sense of purpose was very apparent to my mom and my friends.

"Hey, where are you guys headed to at this time of the night?"

I almost groaned out aloud. Dylan and Lisa and their excessive curiosity had totally slipped out of my mind for a moment there. Ugh! I was so impatient to just be on my way and one after the other, life just kept throwing these obstacles in my way. So typical! The story of my life really…

"Uh…nothing… we're just going out. Alice remembered something that she had to take care of urgently and she needs Jasper and me to tag along with her for help… so yeah… we'll be back in just a little while. Don't worry about it."

I gave Alice and Jasper a glare, trying to urge them silently to go along.

Alice had an unfocused look on her face which worried me slightly but I couldn't ask her about it right then.

"Actually… we're going over to talk to Jacob. He's kinda upset with Bella and she needs to clear the air with him." She blurted out from out of nowhere.

'_What?!? What the hell?!? Way to blindside us, Alice!!'_

"Do you guys want to come along?"

'_Fuck! Thanks for nothing, Alice! UGH!'_

"Alice, can I talk to you for a minute in the kitchen?" I asked giving her a patently false, overly sweet smile.

"No need Bella. We're getting late. Let's just go, alright. We have to be there in twenty minutes, remember?"

'_Ugh! Oh she was soooo dead!! And ugh, no, I didn't intend that to be a pun. Ugh!! Oh she thought she was so clever… using her little gift to decipher my thoughts and actions and trying to avoid the dressing down she knew was heading her way… well… guess what, Alice, you're not getting off so easy! I'm gonna remember this and whenever I get you alone next time… however much time has passed in between… I'm gonna yell at you about this… no matter what! Do you see that happening, maybe? Gosh, I hope so!'_

But it frustrated me no end that there was nothing I could do about it at this very moment. Getting to La Push and talking to Jacob had to have precedence over everything else and I knew that… I just wasn't happy about the fact that I wouldn't get the opportunity to shout at Alice like I so badly wanted to.

I stomped out ahead while Dylan and Lisa were putting on their shoes and jackets, in a snit… muttering about Alice and her interfering ways… when suddenly she materialized before me.

"What the hell, Alice?!?" I took full advantage of this sudden and unexpected opportunity but made sure to keep my voice down lest 'the humans' heard me. "What were you thinking? Why would you invite my friends with us? What purpose would their presence serve? God this has disaster written all over it! My friends don't know anything about vamps and werewolves and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much!"

"Precisely!" She enunciated, her eyes glittering with excitement.

'_Huh? Am I really dumb or is this really complicated and beyond my meager intellectual capabilities?'_

"Think about it Bella. Your friends don't know about the vampire/werewolf situation and every, single one of us is aware of this fact, right? Also, I don't think there is even a single one of us who doesn't want to keep it that way. So wouldn't we all be more careful to behave and keep things under control if they were along?" She continued excitedly.

Of course, it made perfect sense. "Wow! You're a genius, Alice. That's a brilliant plan!" I gave her a bright smile.

"Yeah… yeah… I know I'm brilliant. So, now am I forgiven? And can we please leave now? Because, even though I'm a brilliant driver, even I don't want to totally freak out your friends. Plus with Charlie out of commission, I wouldn't want to risk getting ticketed for speeding, you know? I don't know if I'd be able to charm any of his deputies into letting me go… so let's not take that chance."

"Oh who are you trying to kid, Alice? You'd be able to charm a zombie and you know it! And I hate you for it!!" I teased her knowing that she hated being the one to be the 'teasee' instead of the 'teaser'. "But you're right about one thing. We should leave right away."

We piled on into Jasper's much bigger Jeep and Alice peeled away in her usual way. Even though Alice made a supreme effort to temper down her lethal driving, Dylan and Lisa were still hanging on to whatever they could for dear life. She made the journey to La Push in a record 8 minutes and parked a way off from Jake's house. Jasper and I rolled our eyes at the terrified/stunned but 'thrilled to still be alive' look on my friend's faces.

'_Oh well… at least Dylan won't be enamored with Alice anymore. He's not stupid enough to be in love with a lunatic… and I'm pretty sure that he knows by now that she is one!'_

Dylan and Lisa stumbled out of the car on what I was sure were shaky legs and I kept a discreet eye on them… just to make sure they were still capable of walking on their own.

As we carefully made our way towards Jake's house, I sincerely hoped Jake was back from wherever it was he'd gone to, so that I could get this whole ordeal over with. I tried to mentally prepare myself for all possibilities… going over worst-case scenarios in my mind… like… He might hate me and never want to talk to me again, he might hear whatever I have to say and be so disgusted that he wouldn't want to ever lay eyes on me… ever again, or maybe… just maybe – and this was the best-case scenario that I didn't even dare hope for – he'd be so thrilled that he'd throw his arms around me and kiss me like he'd done some time back…

Of course, I couldn't help but yearn for the last scenario.

'_Alright Bella, get your mind out of the gutter. Focus on the here and now and keep your desperate, perverted urges under control!!'_

"Hold it right there!" An angry...no scratch that… furious voice rang out. I froze.

Slowly, the whole pack walked into view in front of us, materializing out of the darkness and fanned out in a defensive line-up. Each and every one of them was bristling with righteous anger and vibrating so badly that their edges were almost blurring.

'_Oh Shit! Why the devil did I think this'd be a good idea once again?'_

Thankfully, they appeared to be much more in control of their powers than the last time I'd seen them. They seemed less impulsive… more calculated, more controlled, more lethal somehow. I wondered fleetingly, how much of it was due to maturity… and how much was due to Jacob.

Jacob…he was the only one that I was dying to see and unfortunately, he was the only one who was conspicuously absent from this gathering.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" If I'd thought that the previous words had been tersely spoken, then I couldn't even begin to define the emotions behind these current ones. I could, however, define the emotion on Leah's face as she spoke them. Loathing… total, utter loathing. I cringed in fear.

'_Well… here goes nothing…'_

"Jesus Bella, have you completely lost your fucking mind?" She spoke scathingly. "You have, haven't you? Why else would you willingly bring… or even think of bringing _them_ here? Not that you had much brains to begin with anyway… but still, this is stupid… even by your low standards!" She made no effort to hide her feelings for Alice and Jasper. The disgust she felt was on display for anyone to see.

Even though I knew Alice and Jasper were more than capable of handling anything she threw at them and wouldn't hesitate to give back as good as they got, I still moved towards them protectively… which was laughable really… me, a mere human, protecting them – 'the most dangerous predators in the world'. Ha!

"Don't Leah, just don't. I didn't come here to argue with you and I didn't mean to purposely make you mad or anything." The whole evening was beginning to catch up to me. I'd gone from being crazily jealous to ridiculously angry to deliriously happy and overwhelmingly turned on to being insanely unhappy to being totally panicked… all in the space of one evening. Talk about a roller coaster ride. How many emotions could one person handle, huh? I was exhausted and it showed, in my every movement. "I just want to talk to Jake. Just tell me where he is and we'll get out your hair as soon as we can, okay?"

"No, it is _not_ okay!" She stalked over to me and gripped my arm tightly. This of course, made Alice and Jasper emit ferocious growls and inch closer to me, protectively which in turn caused Sam, Paul and Jared to emit growls of their own and flank Leah protectively.

A wave of unease passed through the rest of the pack. Fortunately, the younger members of the pack held themselves back. They… especially Quil, Embry and Seth still seemed to be on the fence about their feelings on the subject.

'_Why oh why did I ever go along with Alice's stupid idea of getting Dylan and Lisa along?'_

I snuck a superstitious glance towards them and saw that they were hanging back, gaping uncomprehendingly at everyone and confused as hell about the unfolding events.

'_Well, look at the bright side. At least they're safe. As for how in the world you're going to explain this to them; you can always claim temporary insanity. But then, considering the current state of affairs, maybe…just maybe, permanent insanity would be more appropriate.'_

Meanwhile, Leah's eyes continued to bore into mine. I could feel the accusations in them as if she'd spoken them out loud.

"What happened, Bella?" Sam's cautious query seemed almost anticlimactic in the wake of all the blistering tension. "Is something the matter? Why are you here at this time of the night? And moreover, why did you feel the need to bring along reinforcements? It was unnecessary to do so, I hope you know that." He finished gently but firmly.

His implication was unmistakable. He wanted to reiterate the fact that I was safer here than I'd ever be with vampires. I knew that…theoretically… but how could I ever tell him that it wasn't my physical safety I feared now but my emotional one? How could I ever tell him that I'd die if Jake rejected me… my friendship at this point of time? How could I ever tell him that my already fragile emotional balance couldn't handle even the thought of his disgust, his ridicule, his hate?

"Uh… nothing… I just really, _really_ need to talk to Jake… immediately. Can you just call him or something…tell him I'm here?" I asked desperately.

"He knows." Leah broke in, viciously. "Jacob…" she continued angrily, "…knows you're here but as you can see, he still isn't here. What does that tell you, huh? Does that make the situation clearer to you? No? Then let me make it even simpler… He doesn't want to see you. This, his not being here, wasn't a fluke. It was by choice! He _chose_ to stay away and send us to deal with you instead. Now do you get it, you spoiled brat?"

"In case that _still_ wasn't clear enough, let me repeat it once again – it gives me great pleasure to see your reaction to the words anyways – Jacob doesn't want to see you Bella. He knows you're here, he knows _they're_ here… but he still chose not to be here. Now does that tell you anything or do you want me to be even blunter? Cos trust me, I have no qualms about being as blunt as the situation needs me to be. In fact, I'd relish it." She gave me a sadistic grin as she said it.

Several murmurs broke out in the crowd around me. I could sense that some of the guys were not necessarily comfortable with the way this conversation was progressing. My friends, especially, were downright outraged.

"Shut up, you bitch!" Alice snarled angrily.

I, on the other hand, found that I didn't even have the energy to muster up any healthy indignation. Leah's words… Jake's implied rejection… were the absolute, last straw.

My knees gave out on me and I flopped down to the forest floor bonelessly. My surroundings faded and so did the angry, raised voices all around me. The only thing that I could hear were Leah's words, reverberating again and again in my mind and the only thing I could visualize was Jake's face as he uttered the exact same words to me instead of her.

But Leah wasn't done… not by a long shot.

"What the hell did you do to him this time, you bitch? Wasn't it enough that you almost killed him the last time you left? What do you want this time? To finish the job? To suck him dry? To take away the little bit of joy left in his life? What… are you sadistic enough to actually give him a little taste of you and then take it away so that it'd destroy him all the more effectively when you do so?"

"Leah, that's enough. I think you've made your point." Embry spoke up suddenly…firmly. His gaze was fixed on my pinched face and the worry on his face was apparent…even to my unfocused, unseeing eyes.

For some reason, his words appeared to make her angrier and the focus of her wrath shifted from me onto her fellow pack members.

"Why the hell are all of you just standing there looking uncertain? What the fuck is wrong with you guys? Why am I the only one defending Jake, here? Isn't he your friend too? Isn't he your family too? Didn't any of you see him earlier? Didn't you see his face; didn't you see how he looked? I'll tell you how, just in case you didn't notice it yourself. He looked utterly, completely destroyed! Didn't you see how defeated his posture was? Didn't you see how pale he looked… how lost? Now tell me, when has he last looked this way to you? That's right… when she left him last!" She aimed an accusing finger at me and I could feel what little color was left on my face drain away.

Her words should've come with a warning, "Potentially lethal. Avoid at all cost." I found that I was having trouble breathing.

And still she went on… and on…

"She's the one… she's always the one who screws him and jerks him around. Come on, we all know that Jake's a tough guy and usually he doesn't need us to protect him or defend him. But when it comes to 'her', he's as helpless as a newborn kitten. And I can't believe you guys at all… I mean it; I can't understand any single one of you. He's our brother… our family. And yet, you…all of you accept her back with open hearts and wide open arms. What the fuck is wrong with you!?! FUCK!! Didn't I tell you she was bad for him? Didn't I warn you that she was poisonous? That she'd be the end of him? But did any of you listen to me? No… oh no… Bella comes to a party and smiles her pretty, innocent smile and all of you are turned into a bunch of blithering idiots!" The guys in question all fidgeted around nervously, refusing to meet her eyes. "Well, guess what? I'm still here and I still have my wits left. I'm not allowing this person… this pathetic excuse for a human being to break up my friend… my family once again. No… not this time. I'll do whatever, and I mean whatever it takes, to ensure that what happened last time doesn't happen again…ever!"

By this time, torrents of tears were flowing down my face, turning me into a slobbering mess.

"Leave it alone Leah. You're taking this too far." Embry, it seemed was the only one who wasn't completely intimidated by her anger. "This is between her and Jake. Let's just let them deal with this in their own way, shall we?" He approached her cautiously and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

For a minute, she continued to hold herself rigidly but then her posture relaxed. All the tension seemingly flowed out of her body. Her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned back into Embry chest with a tired sigh. "For once, let it go, Leah. Take a step back. Jake's a big boy. He can take care of himself."

"Besides, Bella isn't a bad person. She didn't hurt Jake on purpose" Embry continued. "She couldn't help being in love with someone else. You never can, you know? That's how love works. It just happens and you can't do anything about it." It almost felt like he was trying to make a point there. "Anyway, whatever happened in the past, that's just what it is… in the past. Moreover, Jake has forgiven her for it. And I don't know about the rest of the guys but I know I have too. Yes, she hurt Jake and through him the rest of us but I don't think she means to do so this time. In fact, I'm looking forward to getting to know her again. She was my friend once and I can only hope that she can be my friend once again." He looked at me and gave me a quick, disarming grin. I smiled back at him, grateful beyond belief for his support.

"Get your hands off of me, you fucking bastard!" Leah's relaxed posture was a thing of the past and she was snarling and growling once again. She pushed Embry away from her with all her might and looked back at me with her patented expression of disgust…only, this time; it was magnified a hundred fold.

"What is it about you, huh Bella? Why does everyone love you? Perfect little 'Isabella Swan'… beautiful, delicate, oh so breakable! Everyone just wants to wrap you in cotton wool and protect you! First Cullen, then Jacob and now _MY_ Embry!! Ugh… it's just disgusting! And look at that boy-toy that you got yourself from London… glaring at me venomously. Even he can't resist your helplessness. Jesus, you've perfected the act down to an art haven't you? And you…" She turned her anger onto a bewildered Embry "Don't bother to come sniffing around me… not while you have the hots for this whore! In fact, don't bother to come sniffing around me… ever again! And this time I mean it. We're so over!"

The look on Embry's face tore at my heart. He looked like a part of him had just died. "Done, finished, through… should I go on? Whatever we had between us is finished!" Leah continue without a pause, not caring for his feeling even one bit.

"No, you don't need to go on. I get it Leah… I get it loud and clear. All I can say is, it's more your loss than mine. I'm probably better off without a woman who can't even admit that she's in love with me but you… you won't ever get anyone who loves you the way I do… not even if you imprint!"

"And don't worry. This time I won't come begging you to take me back. This time I'm the one who's gonna be moving on. Good bye Leah. Have a good life." He looked apologetically at the rest of his brothers… who were looking towards him and Leah with flabbergasted expressions on their faces – apparently they'd had no idea about this and looked like they didn't even know how to react to it…

Then he gave me a tiny smile. "Just hang in there Bella. Jake will come around. I'm sure of it. I'll see you around, alright?" And then he walked off.

What was even more surprising than the unexpected revelation was the look of desolation on Leah's face before she managed to mask her feelings behind righteous anger once again.

"Bravo Bella. Looks like you've managed to strike again. But then, this is your specialty isn't it? Wherever you go, destruction, chaos and ruined relationships just automatically follow. Oh and how could I forget… death? That seems to be your specialty too…"

That was an unexpected blow, coming out of nowhere and leaving me gasping for air. The darkness threatened to overwhelm me once again…

"Shut your mouth before I tear out your fucking tongue, you bitch!" Alice was livid. "You heartless, cold, soulless bitch!!" I'd never seen her so angry before. I was afraid that she'd start punching Leah any minute and I waited with baited breath to see what happened next. "Can't you see she's crying? If you say one more word, so help me God, I'll rip your fucking throat off!! And I'll enjoy every second of it."

Her eyes were actually beginning to turn black. I shot a panicky look towards Jasper but he didn't seem like he'd be much help either.

Alice on the other hand, saw and correctly interpreted my expression and made a conscious effort to calm herself down. "But… that's not why we're here. So as much as I'd love to teach you a lesson or two in manners and humility, that won't solve Bella's problem and I wouldn't want to make things worse for her. Consider yourself lucky, _bitch_. I'm letting you off easy this time. I'd be careful what I say, the next time though. I might not be in such a generous mood then."

"But…right now, we… she's just here to talk to Jake and she'll do so no matter what you say, so just tell him to stop being such a coward and face her already." She purposely yelled the last part out aloud so that Jake could hear it.

"Over my dead body!" Leah growled through clenched teeth.

"Whatever you want sweetheart. Jasper, let's give the lady what she wants, shall we?" Alice replied softly, menacingly.

Uh oh! This had gone on far enough. I knew that they wouldn't let things get completely out of control but one or all of them could get seriously hurt during this madness. And I would never ever forgive myself if that happened!

Not to mention that Dylan and Lisa would probably be scarred for life.

"Guys…" I called out softly, still too drained to stand up. "Cut it out! Now! I mean it…" My voice rang with authority even though it was barely audible.

Alice, it seemed, was not at all happy with my edict. She shot me a frustrated glance.

"Why Bella… why should I shut up? Why shouldn't I say whatever I want to say? I can't just stand by and watch this bitch insult and demean you. You mean too much to me. And I especially won't listen to it because none if it is true! Somebody needs to set her… all of them, straight. And I know for a fact that you won't! So I might as well do the honors."

Then her tone became more acidic as she turned her attention towards Leah. "So tell me, what makes you the fucking authority on Jake's emotions and Bella's behavior anyway? Just because you've had your teeny weeny heart broken… _once_… doesn't mean you can now interfere in other's affairs and pass judgment. You have no fucking clue what Bella's been through… none whatsoever! So kindly, keep your nose out of her business."

"Oh please… I know more than you think." Leah sneered obnoxiously. "For example, I know exactly what happened to make Jake run off just now." I sucked in a stunned breath. Leah noticed the sudden pallor of my skin and couldn't help gloating a little. "Oh yeah Bella…I know all about your little secret. What, you really thought Jake wouldn't tell me? Please! We're much closer now than we were back then. I'm his beta…did you know that? No… apparently you didn't. He tells me everything."

Her eyes snapped towards Alice. "And look at you… acting all high and mighty…pretending that Bella is as pure and innocent as the driven snow. Hmmpf… but you see, I know better… I always did. And I cannot get over how righteous you all act, when the girl you're all trying to defend is nothing but a cheap slut who had a baby with one person and is trying her damnest to seduce another one!"

The sound of a resounding slap reverberated through the air echoing back throughout our surroundings.

I inanely thought that since Alice was the one who'd slapped Leah, no one had to worry about any broken bones or anything. And then I wondered why I was even having such thoughts when my heart was completely shattered into a million pieces and my entire body was shaking with gut wrenching sobs. Maybe I was in shock or something…

"Get your filthy hands off me, you…you… How _dare_ you?!?" Leah's outrage was palpable. The rest of the pack was too shocked to even react. I think they were overloaded with the back-to-back revelations that'd happened tonight.

"Look at her. Just look at her! Does she look like the kind of person who's had a happy, comfortable, easy life? Does she look like the kind of person who plays the kind of games that you're implicating her of? Do you think she's capable of having a child with one person and then seducing another one? Look at her face, look at her expression, look into her eyes… now can you honestly tell me that you still believe everything you just said?"

"What're you trying to say?" Quil interrupted before Leah had a chance to blast off once again.

"There is no baby, you morons… that's what I'm trying to say!" She wailed out loud. My grief was obvious for everyone to see… evidenced by the gushing tears and the wrenching sobs… but Alice, hers was not so obvious… but present nonetheless. "No kid… no child… no nothing! And before you ask, there never was. And God, if only there had been… maybe we wouldn't have lost Bella in the first place… my brother wouldn't have lost the love of his life and I wouldn't have lost my sister, my best friend." Her tormented eyes met mine and I could see the silent plea in them… they were begging me for forgiveness.

"God, Bella…" She burst out suddenly, talking directly to me… as if we were the only people present there in the clearing at that moment, "I'm so sorry!! I'm so sorry about the baby! Forgive me. Forgive me, please. Please…" Her tiny body was wracked with sobs. Somehow, the absence of tears made the anguish even more unbearable to watch.

Even Leah seemed too shocked to say anything.

'I' was stunned into silence. What the hell was she going on about? What did she have to apologize for? What happened between Edward and me…? It never was her fault and I couldn't believe she didn't know that.

"Alice, what the hell are you talking about?!? There's nothing for me to forgive. You've done nothing that needs to be forgiven sweetie…"

"Oh come on Bella! You and I both know that's not true. We both know that I could've prevented what happened to you and Edward…if only I'd known what could happen or how it could end! But no, I was too busy planning a wedding, imagining how you would be after the change, how happy we would all be as a family, to consider the other possibilities!! I let you down…I let all of you down" Alice wailed despairingly.

I was shocked that she was clinging on to so much grief and guilt even after all this time. I wondered hollowly why I'd never considered her feelings on the subject. What kind of a friend was I to only be concerned about my own feelings, my own emotions when clearly; her feelings of guilt about the issue were equally intense? And why, had we never spoken about this subject before… why we were speaking about it now? Did it have something to do with the fact that Edward wasn't around? Or did she feel that I was finally strong enough to discuss it? Or… could it have something to do with whatever was going on between Jake and me?

"Oh Alice, honey…You _did not_ let anyone down!! And it's not your fault…It never was…I can't believe you blame yourself for this." I rushed to reassure her.

"No Bella…Let me do this, please. I need to say this…I've been holding it in for a long time now…I'm sorry Bella. I'm really sorry. Not just for not seeing this sooner but also for my role in the way it was handled. You needed me at that time, you begged for my support and understanding but I didn't listen to you. I took my brother's side and that made the situation worse in so many ways. It left you feeling all alone. I can only imagine how you must've felt at the time and I'm sure you felt betrayed by what we did. But please Bella, we only did what we did because we loved you. Please try to think of it that way. Please forgive my brother… and forgive me because I'm really, truly sorry for not helping you to save your baby…"

I was conscious of my mouth opening and closing a few times and I figured that I looked like an idiot but I didn't know what to do or say. I was incapable of intelligent words at the moment. She'd robbed me of speech…

And then, before I could even come up with anything appropriate, I felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere around us. It was a weird feeling, hard to explain as anything but a transfer of power… it felt reminiscent to a surge of electricity, flowing through a conductor, electrifying everything in its wake.

I glanced up to see Jake walk into the clearing. His eyes were trained on me and I couldn't even begin to fathom the expression in them. Yet, for some reason, my heart began thudding rapidly in my chest.

"Get out…all of you! Now!"

He spoke to everyone without taking his eyes off of me even for an instant. His tone was cordial, measured… the volume, muted. Yet I had no doubt, in my mind that this was not just 'Jake – my best friend' talking. This was very much 'Jacob Black – the alpha' talking. The authority in his voice was very much unmistakable and the way he took charge, the flow of power that I sensed in him right then… sent shivers racing down my spine.

With his eyes still locked on mine, he spoke again, "It seems, Bella and I need to have a long overdue conversation, don't you agree Bells?"

Without even a word of protest, each and every one of the people in the clearing, including my own friends walked away till there were only the two of us left.

"Well…? Looks like there's still a lot that we need to talk about Bells. Go on… I'm here and I'm all ears."

**A/N: - Alright folks… you know the drill. Remember, no reviews, no updates! So, it's really up to you and remember, the next chapter is gonna be the much awaited Bella/Jacob conversation. So if you want me to get on with it quickly, you better tell me what you think! Hehe… Sorry… I didn't have a choice, you know! **

**Anyway, I just wanted to tell you… Don't hate Leah. Please. I know she's being rather hateful right now but try to see her side of things. She's just trying to protect her friend from getting his heart broken again even though she might be going about it in the worst way possible. Don't worry… she'll come around…eventually!**

**Also, I'm really sorry I haven't answered all your reviews for the last chapter personally like I usually do. I've been crazy busy but that doesn't mean that I wasn't grateful for each and every one of the reviews I got. Thank you for taking the time and the effort to post them. I really appreciate it.**

**Last but not least, a HUGE 'Thank You' to Cheryl and Ashley – my partners in crime. I seriously would be floundering in the dark without them and their support and guidance. I especially appreciate their willingness to answer my weird questions and share their opinions. Oh, and they are just brilliant when it comes to dealing with my insecurities! Thank you… both of you! **

**And how many times do I have to tell you to go read Ashley's stories, huh? Come on… I'm telling you, they're definitely worth it!! Just give it a shot…and oh, don't forget to tell her how good they are, okay? :D**

**Now what're you waiting for? Go… Review!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer: - Well… nothing's changed since the time I wrote the last chapter. Jake is still not mine… no matter how much I want him to be! *Sigh* Oh yeah, and neither are any of the other characters…**

**Alright, people… here it is… the chapter you've been waiting so long for – the long awaited 'talk' between Bella and Jacob! And I know it took a long time… but seriously people, did you not see the size of this one?!? It's more than 14500 words long!! Seriously, I'm not even going to give excuses or anything this time (although I should say that it's been ready for the last few days but I was waiting for FF to sort out its problems before posting.) I mean, come on… 14500 words take a really long time to get sorted out in your head and come out on paper the way you want them to! Enough said!! **

**Also, I tried reeeeeaaally hard to do my best with the emotions of the characters in this chapter and it wasn't my intention to hurt anyone with anything I've expressed in it. **

**This is especially true of all the Edward lovers out there. Before you hate me and flame me for the things I wrote, I hope you'll take into consideration the conversation between Jake and Edward in BD where he as much as admits that he'd do this exact same thing if not for Rose, Emmett and Esme! Moreover, this is fan'fiction'. So… deal with it! **

**This chapter is dedicated to Cheryl – one of my wonderful betas and the inspiration behind this particular storyline, Ashley – my other brilliant beta and a constant source of encouragement and support and Erin – my soulmate… in every sense of the word. You guys and your friendships are the best things that have happened to me in forever! I'll be eternally grateful for the day I chose to convert my passion for Twilight and Jake into this story because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten to know any of you… and my life would've been infinitely emptier and far, far less richer without your presence . Thank you for being you! Love you all!!**

**That being said, read on. Enjoy…**

JPOV

"Get out…all of you! Now!" I ordered everyone while keeping my eyes trained on Bella's beautiful ones.

I wanted to wring her neck…

I wanted to shake her tiny little body till I could shake some sense into that beautiful head of hers…

How could she not tell me something so important? How could she ever hope to hide something this significant from me?

But most of all, I wanted to take her into my arms and soothe away all her pain…wipe away all her tears and make all her unhappiness disappear.

"Get out! Right now! I mean it, just get out of here. _All_ of you." I aimed a significant glance towards the leeches trying to make it clear that they were included in my mandate. "Bella and I need to have a long overdue conversation, it seems and we're going to do it right here, right now before anything or anyone else comes along to create any more problems."

I didn't really care what anyone thought of my high-handedness. All I cared was that they followed my orders and made themselves scarce.

I also didn't particularly care whether anyone else was present for this conversation of ours or not but I knew Bella wouldn't be particularly comfortable having an audience. And as far as I was concerned, whatever Bella wanted… Bella got.

Thankfully no one present gave me any grief but instead just walked away peacefully. I didn't miss the concerned glance her 'friend' – Dylan – aimed at her before walking away. I had to have a talk with the kid pretty soon. This… his overt concern… for Bella, just wouldn't do. But that was a matter to be dealt with later. Right now, I had more important things to deal with.

I slowly made my way towards Bella where she was still sitting on the dirt exactly where she'd apparently collapsed a while ago. Her tear ravaged eyes followed my every move nervously but thankfully she didn't spook like I half feared she would.

My heart twisted painfully in my chest as I took in her pitiful appearance – her face was blotchy, her eyes were puffy and red, her hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were streaked with mud.

In some part of my mind… which wasn't trying to come to terms with everything I'd heard just now and reconcile it with everything I knew and believed… I couldn't help but marvel that even when she was in this state she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. I ruefully acknowledged that even now I was far beyond the point of no return. There was no hope for me. There would be no backing away and no taking a step back… not for me… not this time…

How had things gotten so out of control?

I'd tried… I'd really tried to back away from her. Especially tonight, after overhearing the leech talk about the baby – I'd been so disgusted and horrified – I'd contemplated just walking away… returning to Seattle and forgetting about everything that had happened between Bella and me in the last few days but I'd found that it was practically impossible for me to do so. Even thinking about it had hurt, terribly.

Nope…this time around, I wasn't going to just sit back and let things get away from me. This time around, we were going to deal with whatever this was, head on.

I squatted down to her level and gently reached out a hand to push her hair away from her face. I wanted to be able to see her eyes when we spoke about this. I wanted to see her every expression.

The moment my hand touched her, she flinched back a little bit and I dropped my hand immediately. Dammit! That hurt. I couldn't believe she was uncomfortable with my touch. I thought we were beyond that already.

"Bells?" I gently urged her to look at me.

She reluctantly met my gaze. The pain in her eyes almost broke my heart.

'_What the hell have you done Edward? Fuck! Don't you remember me telling you that you better treat her right? I can't believe you were stupid enough to disregard my warning! Now you better be smart enough to run and hide, real well, because I swear to God if I find out that you've hurt Bella, I'm going to hunt you down and tear you to shreds! And I'm going to enjoy every single moment of it! Not even your loving, dedicated family can save you from me this time!'_

She was weeping as if her heart was breaking and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to draw her in my arms and rock her.

"It's alright, honey…it's alright. Oh, baby, don't cry. You're breaking my heart. Come on."

"Th… th…there's no b…baby, Jake! I… I'm s..s..sorry you thought there was and got hurt because of it b… but I s…sw…swear… there's no baby! I swear!! Please, don't be mad at me Jake… please? I couldn't bear to lose you too… not after I've just found you!" She spoke softly, barely lucid through her sobs.

"Shh… Sh… Shhhh…I know, honey. I heard. And I'm not going anywhere." I took her in my arms and held her tight, allowing her to run through the gamut of her feelings without interruption. It felt like hours passed by while she held on to me with all her might and sobbed her heart out.

Finally when her tears had slowed down to sniffles I pulled away and wiped away her tears with my the pad of my thumbs all the while wondering how such a tiny body could hold in so much anguish.

"How did you get here? Did you know what was happening?" She asked me in a small voice.

I knew what she wanted to know. She was basically asking me if I'd known how badly Leah was treating her and chosen not to do anything about it on purpose. I desperately prayed that she'd believe me when I told her that the answer was no. After all, it was the God's honest truth. I could never have stood by and allowed Leah to verbally abuse Bella… never. I just didn't know how to convey that in words that she'd believe.

"Embry" I finally sighed. "Embry was the one who told me what was happening. He wouldn't let me hide anymore… said you needed me to get my head out of my ass and behave like the mature adult I am and not the petulant child I was channeling. Ha!"

"Remind me to thank him later." She looked at me with eyes that were deadened with grief.

God, the Bella Swan I'd known six years ago had been so full of joy and hope and dreams for her new life. Hell, the Bella Swan I'd seen a few hours ago… the one that I'd held in my arms and kissed… had no resemblance…none at all to this broken girl in front of me. What kind of harsh lessons had life dealt her to turn that beautiful vivaciousness into such heartbreaking misery? I was loathe to find out.

"All better?"

"Um Hmm" She sniffled pitifully… immediately contradicting her earlier claim… but I decided to let it go for now. "Sorry, didn't mean to slobber all over you. Look at you, you're actually decently covered for once and I go and ruin your shirt. I'm such a dork." She tried to smile through her tears and I couldn't help feeling a surge of pride. Such courage…

"Dammit, I knew there was a logical reason for my minimal attire!" I jokingly commented hoping to distract her from her misery.

"Oh, was there? I thought it was just your way of shamelessly trying to seduce women." She reiterated teasingly… trying courageously to pick up my lead.

"Damn! How did you know? Apparently, I've been found out." I didn't hesitate to continue further down the same path. Who knows… it might work.

She laughed… a reluctant, bittersweet laugh… but a laugh nonetheless.

I couldn't help congratulating myself on my minor victory. She moved back into my arms, snuggling closer to me, almost as if she were deriving comfort from my closeness. Hey, who was I to deny it to her, right?

Just then, lightening streaked the sky, thunder rumbled and the heavens opened up in a massive downpour.

'_Brilliant. Just what we needed… another source of water!'_

"Hey honey, do you mind letting me go for one minute?" Her hold on me just tightened. "Come on, baby… it's only for a few minutes. I swear I'm not going anywhere. I just thought I'd go get the car here. We really need to get you out of this downpour, that's all."

She still didn't seem convinced and wouldn't let go of me so I decided to do the next best thing. I picked her up in my arms, bridal style and ran towards my house. I knew Dad would be asleep already and we'd have the house practically to ourselves which would make the oncoming discussion easier. Besides, Bella needed to get out of her soaked clothes before she caught a cold.

I opened the door of the house as silently as I could manage and tiptoed into the house so as not to awaken Dad. I deposited Bella near the bathroom.

"Stay here" I whispered. "I'll get you a towel and some dry clothes."

I quietly made my way into my childhood bedroom, which had not changed much over the years and got out one of my old but comfortable t-shirt and a pair of shorts. I figured on Bella the shirt would resemble a dress and the shorts would probably come down to below her knees but at least they were clean and dry. I also hunted around for a spare towel and hastily made my way back to where Bella was waiting, creating a puddle on the bathroom mat.

"Here you go. Why don't you go take a hot water bath or something? It'll make you feel much better. And then come on out to the kitchen. I'll try and whip up something hot and amazing for us to eat, okay?"

Her expression remained pained and uncertain.

"Go on woman… before you convert my passageway into a swimming pool." I gave her a smile, hoping to make her feel more at ease with the situation.

"If you're sure…?" Some hints of the uncertainty still remained.

I rolled my eyes exaggeratedly for her benefit. "Sure, I'm sure! Would I offer if I wasn't? And hey, whatever effort goes into it now, I'm sure Charlie will appreciate the savings on his insurance costs when it doesn't end up in a trip to the emergency room later."

"Hey! I'll have you know, I'm not as accident prone as I used to be, you know? I've grown up and matured since you last knew me. So don't make assumptions, Mr. Black."

"Mmm… I noticed Ms. Swan." I deliberately let my eyes roam over her wet form. Her t-shirt had gotten soaked in the sudden downpour and now lovingly clung to her every curve. The chill in the air had caused her nipples to pucker up and they were very visible, even in the dim light of the passageway. I couldn't have stopped my eyes from lingering on the delicious outlines of her breasts… not even if my life depended on it. My body reacted involuntarily, tightening and readying in arousal and I hadn't even touched her. Damn… what this woman did to me!

"And may I say that you've grown up beautifully?" My voice had acquired a huskiness that hadn't been there a few minutes ago.

She noticed the change in atmosphere and the direction of my gaze and squeaked. Then she promptly turned around and all but ran into the bathroom, shutting the door quickly behind her. I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me. Thankfully, it helped to release some of the tension that'd gripped my body.

And she called herself grown-up! Pfft! She was still a little girl at heart… still easily embarrassed, still uncomfortable with discussions of physical intimacy or her own sexuality… in other words, still my Bella. Now, I wouldn't deny that some things were new. The new found confidence for one, the sense of balance for another... All in all she made for one helluva interesting package. And God, I was so going to enjoy unwrapping each layer and discovering what was hidden underneath.

'_Figuratively… not literally dammit! Get your damn mind out of the damn gutter!!'_

I shook myself out of the daze that the thought of unwrapping any part of Bella Swan had brought on and made my way to the kitchen. I had to consciously make an effort to rein in my lascivious thoughts. I knew that no matter how delicious she looked or how desperately she clung to me, she was in an extremely fragile state of mind right now. There were also so many things that still had to be clarified between us…so many explanations to be given… so many things to be forgiven. I couldn't let my desire for Bella make me lose sight of the bigger picture.

Right now, we needed to talk about our respective pasts, get everything out in the open. It was vital if we hoped to have any kind of relationship in the future and I for one did. I wanted it all… and I wanted it with Bella. So, to that end, I'd have to put a lid on my current thoughts and wear my best-friend cap… at least for the time being.

I opened up all the cabinets in the small kitchen, hunting around for any sort of edible concoction that I could heat up for Bella. Ransacking this kitchen – It gave me a very weird feeling – like I was getting reacquainted with childhood memories… literally. I quickly found that the experience was proving to be just as frustrating as I remembered it to be. The kitchen was just as sparingly stoked as memory served. And unfortunately, in all the time I'd been away from home, I hadn't managed to miraculously acquire any sort of cooking skills which I could use to whip up something delicious in a matter of minutes.

Finally… through sheer perseverance, I managed to uncover a large can of chicken noodle soup that was just a few short weeks away from its 'Best By' date. Ah well… it'd just have to do. I quickly opened the can, poured the soup into a pan and put the pan on a burner to heat. I guess that was an improvement over last time… I'd at least learnt how to operate the cooking range.

While I was waiting for the soup to heat up, I also toasted about 8 slices of bread and slathered them with generous dollops of butter. Then, just to be on the safer side, I got out a jar of peanut butter, some old but viable jams, mustard, a few 'slightly old but still eatable' slices of cheese and ketchup. There… now she at least had some choices.

As soon as the soup began to boil, I hunted down two bowls and spoons and poured us both fair portions… meaning mine was bigger than hers… and set it down on the kitchen table. Then I quickly opened my Dad's liquor cabinet and poured liberal splashes of his best whiskey into two glasses. I figured that Bella wouldn't be much of a whiskey person but hey, it'd do the job of warming her up nicely. It'd be kinda like taking a medicine, so I'm sure wouldn't mind… too much.

I finally realized that there was only so much I could do and all that was left to do was to wait for her to finish changing her clothes and come out.

As I sat down at the kitchen table to do just that, I realized that Bella might need some water or juice or something like that to quench her thirst and got up right back to take care of that. Just as I was pouring the juice into a glass, the sound of shuffling feet alerted me to the fact that Bella was here. I turned around to greet her but the moment my eyes rested on her, all coherent thought flew right out of the window and the casual greeting I'd been about to utter, got stuck in my throat.

'_Holysweetmotherof…'_

I could honestly vouch for the fact that I'd never seen a sexier sight than a 'just out of the shower' Bella Swan dressed in my old clothes. I'd been right about the fact that the clothes were way too huge for her. She'd rolled up the sleeves of the t-shirt to her elbows and the bottom of the shirt actually came up to her knees, giving the impression that she wasn't wearing anything beneath. Her long hair was still quite wet and hanging in wet locks down her back. she'd made some effort to tame the length but hadn't really succeeded, resulting in a sexy, tumbled look that most models would pay fortunes for but which Bella achieved naturally… easily.

And that fragrance… oh god… she'd used my soap to wash up and just the thought of it on her soft skin... it gave me new belief in the presence of God

My imagination, of course, was working in overdrive providing me with unnecessary and totally disconcerting images… information that was making this situation more explosive by the minute. Like the fact that her underwear was probably all wet… resulting in her being completely naked beneath my clothes. And the thought of my clothes touching her bare skin… all of her soft, delicious bare skin was driving me positively insane.

I cleared my throat noisily and let out a huge breath.

'_Get a grip, Black!'_

"Uh… ummm… h..hi." I cleared my throat again and willed myself to stop gaping at her like a lecherous pervert.

'_Easier said than done…'_

'_Just snap out of it Black!'_

"Uh… So, do you feel better now?"

"Yes… loads. I hope you don't mind. I used your soap and shampoo. You didn't have any girlie options in there so I didn't have much of a choice. Oh, and I put my clothes in your drier. That's okay right?"

'_Oh God… you have no idea how glad I am that you used my soap and shampoo. Feel free to do so anytime at all. Really…'_

I had to clear my throat once again just to get it to work in the usual, normal fashion. "Uh… not at all. It's perfectly alright that you used the soap and the shampoo. No issues at all. Sorry about the lack of options though. And…uh… about the drier… that's totally cool too."

"Okay cool." All throughout this conversation, she'd barely met my eyes and right then, I noticed that she was fidgeting around nervously.

'_Idiot! You haven't even offered her a seat! Will you just quit staring at her and behave normally? Or do I have to whoop your ass into shape?'_

"Oh… uh… please, sit down. I heated up some soup for us. Chicken noodle. Sorry, it was the only option. I know it's not the best or the most original option but hey, it's nice and hot and will hopefully serve our purpose nicely. And uh… there's some bread, toast actually. And all that." I pointed helplessly towards the somewhat vast collection of bread related condiments that I'd laid out for her. "Come on… tuck in."

"Oh… and I suppose you're going to tell me that the alcohol is only for medicinal purposes, huh?" She asked with a tiny smile on her face. "Are you trying to get me drunk, Jake?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. If only she knew the thoughts that were running through my mind right now, I'm sure she'd be convinced that her theory was spot on.

"No, no… Don't worry about it. My intentions are completely honorable." _'For now…'_ but I doubt she needed to hear that. "Really… Scout's honor!"

"You, Jacob Black, were _never_ a boy scout." She scoffed unbelievingly.

"Oops!" I couldn't help giving her a mischievous grin but I purposely chose not to address the point in detail. "Eat." I stated firmly.

I tucked into the soup with gusto, willing her to do the same.

"Jake… about the baby…" She inserted shakily. I knew she was nervous about the upcoming conversation but I figured that it wouldn't hurt her to lighten up a little bit.

"Eat, Bella." I urged her again, gently this time.

"But…"

"Look, I know we need to have this conversation." I interrupted her protest quietly. "And I'm not trying to avoid it or postpone it or anything. I just don't think I want either of us to be cold or uncomfortable while we do it. We've waited so long. A few more minutes can't hurt, right? Just relax for a few minutes. You're wound up tighter than a spring. Unwind a little. What say? Come on… can't hurt, right?" I held my breath waiting to see her reaction.

Instead of actually answering, she picked up her glass of whiskey and raised it towards me in a toast, "To long overdue disclosures" before knocking back a large sip.

I raised my glass towards her too and deliberately waited for her to look up at me again. Then I knocked my glass against hers and said, "To the future"

"Hear, hear" Bella gave me a tentative but heartfelt smile and I could've almost jumped up and down in joy. How pathetic is that…?

The next 10-15 minutes passed by in virtual silence. Once the impromptu meal was finished and the dishes cleared away, we moved silently towards my bedroom by mutual consent. On some level, we both realized that it was the best place to have the discussion without any fear of waking Billy. On my insistence, she settled down on the bed, while I spread out on the floor near her.

There were a few minutes of awkward silence when neither of us knew how to begin the conversation. I figured that it was up to her how she wanted this conversation to proceed. "Take your time, Bells. I'm in no hurry. Take whatever time you need."

She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I guess I should start at the beginning. As you know, right after the wedding, Edward and I left for our honeymoon to Isle Esme. That's a private island off the coast of Brazil – it's an island owned by the Cullen's… a gift from Carlisle to Esme." She explained in detail, aware of my confusion.

I could almost _feel_ my eyes bugging out of my head, "Who the hell gives an island as a gift?!?"

Bella's reaction was totally unpredictable, and totally confusing. She burst out into gales of laughter and once she saw my bewildered expression, promptly burst into tears.

What the hell…? Women! Jeez… I would _never_ understand them!

I scrambled to the edge of the bed and wrapped my arms around her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I won't ever question the Cullen's gift giving tendencies again, I swear!" I was grasping at straws, not sure how the situation got to this point; panicking because I desperately wanted to make things better for her and upset because I'd unwittingly ruined my own efforts, over the last hour, to improve Bella's mood.

"No, No… it's not that. It's just… that was precisely my reaction too."

"Oookkaaayyy…" Now I was even more confused.

'_Heck, she's a woman… and they're confusing as hell. As you know, it's better to go with the flow instead of trying to get to the bottom of the mystery…especially when faced with an overemotional one, such as our Bella.'_

'_Oh shut up!'_

"I just realized how much we think alike, is all." Bella, unaware of my crazy thoughts was still trying to explain away her bizarre reaction. "Oh, forget it! It doesn't even matter right now. Let's just chalk it up to my hormones or PMS or something like that, alright?"

I cautiously drew back from her. _'What?!? I'm a man. Even the mention of words like hormones or PMS freak me out!'_

"Go on." I hastened her in an effort to hide my cowardice.

"Yeah, where was I?"

"At the part where you and Eddie-boy arrived at some fancy-schmancy private island…"

"Oh yeah. So, we went to the island for our honeymoon and didalltheusualhoneymoonstuff…" She blurted out.

I tried really hard to ignore that part but it was really, really difficult to do so. I couldn't help but think back to the time during her wedding when she'd told me that part of her post-wedding plans. The horrifying realization, the anger, the intense sense of betrayal… I couldn't help but recall some of those feelings again. But… that was all a very long time ago. No reason to be upset about it now. Right…

Anyway, my primary fear had been that he'd mess up and kill her accidently. Obviously, that fear had been unfounded so it was high time I got over it, right? Oh yeah… I was sooo over it.

Oh, who the hell am I trying to kid? I _hate_ the fact that she'd slept with the leech while she was human. Hell I would've hated the fact even if she hadn't been but I hated it more that she _was_!

'_Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it! Think about something else… anything else. And whatever you do, don't lose control – not now, not when there's a possibility that Bella could be hurt if you do…' _

"But _how_? How is it even possible? How did you guys do..._that_… without you getting seriously hurt?!?" Even though I tried really hard to keep my disgust from showing, it spilled through into my voice. "And a _baby_, Bella? I don't even know how that's possible. In fact, I don't think I want to know. Okay, forget that… I do. But God, honey… a baby?!? What the _fuck_ were you guys thinking?? What the _FUCK _was the leech thinking?? Shit… sorry!" I ran my hands through my hair agitatedly. What I would've really liked to do was pace. But that was out of the question considering that my tiny room barely even accommodated the both of us right now.

Alright… so apparently, I wasn't as in control of my emotions as I'd have liked to believe. But I don't think anyone could blame me for having this mini-meltdown. God knows it'd been long overdue. Plus, if anyone was entitled to one, it was me.

"Oh Jake, you don't have to say sorry. I understand where you're coming from. And I certainly understand why you'd feel the need to swear. It's okay." The melancholy was back in Bella's voice and I silently cursed myself for not being able to rein in my emotions on the subject. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't interrupt her again…that I wouldn't have any more outbursts…that I would listen to everything she had to say without going off again.

"No… I really am sorry Bells. I'm making this harder for you than it has to be. I'll try harder to keep my thoughts to myself."

"Listen, I know this isn't easy for you either. But I realize that this is something both of us need to talk about. I need to tell you everything that happened and I think you need to listen to it. We can't mov…umm… we can't be friends without it. Now, you have to understand something, I haven't spoken about this to anyone since it happened – except the Cullen's of course – and as you can imagine, they're not the most impartial judges in this whole mess. So basically, I'm pretty much freaked out right now." The tremor in Bella's voice was a clear indication of how difficult this conversation was for her. I felt totally helpless, not being able to save her from the torment that I knew she was about to face.

"As a rule, I hate talking about this subject. But you… you've always been my best friend. You've always made it easy for me to talk about even the most difficult, most uncomfortable of subjects. You've always understood…even when you haven't necessarily agreed with my point of view. And most importantly, you've never judged or misjudged me. I know for a fact that you're the only person in the world who I'd be comfortable talking about this to. But here's the thing… there's going to be some messy, unpalatable stuff involved in what I've got to say and you're not going to like it… you're not going to like it one bit. But I need you to be silent and listen to everything I have to say first… and not interrupt me or lose your temper or anything. I need you to listen to me…as my best friend and not as the alpha of a pack of giant, vampire slaying werewolves. I need to know that you won't lose control of your emotions. Can you do that Jake? Can you make me that promise?" She asked solemnly.

I'd been getting more and more tense the longer her speech had gone on. Shit… this was sounding more ominous by the minute.

I turned away from her – making this decision while looking at her vulnerable expression was virtually impossible – and walked over to the window… staring out into the darkness thoughtfully. I needed a moment to evaluate everything she'd just said and contemplate whether I'd be able to make her the promise she'd just asked for and… more importantly… keep it. I didn't want to blithely make any commitments that I'd later have trouble sticking to. That's not the way I operated… Moreover, that's not the way Bella and I operated.

Finally, confident that I'd be able to keep my cool under any circumstances I turned to her and gave her a confident grin. "Sure Bells… I promise to listen to everything you say and not interrupt or morph into a giant werewolf or even yell at you or anything of the sort. _AND _I promise to listen as your best friend and not as said giant werewolf. Happy?"

She simply nodded in response. The grim expression on her face was daunting to say the least and I braced myself for what was to come.

"Edward – he's strong… not just in body but in mind as well." She spoke dispassionately, as if she was in a trance. "Before we got married, I'd asked him to make love to me while I was human. He'd promised me that we would try to, while we were on our honeymoon. He was determined to give me what I wanted without hurting me. After all, he _had_ promised me he'd try. And he did. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must've been for him to grant me my crazy wish without losing control of himself but somehow he did. We…well I woke up after that first time happy as hell."

I clenched my fists tightly to keep from breaking something. White hot anger flowed through my system. Fuck, this was going to be harder than I'd thought it'd be.

'_Just keep your cool, Black. Remember your vow. All you have to do, right now, is shut up and let her speak. Once she's done, you can break all the furniture in the house if you want to. But right now, you're bloody well going to stick to your damn word… no matter what the freaking hell it costs you! You can do that… for her sake. You have to do it.'_

My expression must've given her some idea as to my seething emotions because she hurried on without a pause. "Anyway, apart from a few _minor_ issues, the whole trip was magical."

'_Fuck! Magical, was it? Wait… issues… what issues?'_

"Issues… What issues are you talking about?" I just _had_ to ask.

"Uh…err… nothing much. Why don't we just move on?"

"Oh no, you don't, now I _want_ to know… actually wait… I _have_ to know!"

'_Masochist!!'_

"Well… after the first time we, errr… made love… Edward refused to touch me for almost a week afterwards."

I knew… I just knew that I wouldn't like what was going to be said next… call it instinct or whatever you will… but I just knew it – in my gut, I knew it. But that didn't stop me from asking her, "And why was that?" in a terse voice.

Her desperate expression did nothing to alleviate my feeling of unease. "Because when we woke up the next day, therewerebruisesallovermybody…" She blurted out unwillingly.

'_Jes… Fuck! Shit! Shit! Shit! Fucking leech… I'm gonna kill him the first chance I get!'_

Bella hurriedly went on with her explanation, anxious to distract me from my anger.

"Anyway, Edward was devastated and so, so angry at himself. He refused to touch me again for a long time."

That mollified me somewhat. "Well he was right to be angry at himself. He fucking hurt you. He should've been hanged for that!" I grumbled unhappily.

She sighed in exasperation and glared at me. "Do you want me to continue with this or not? Cuz' we can stop if you want."

"No, no… don't stop. Please go on. I promise I won't interrupt you again." I pleaded.

"Is this another empty promise like last time or are you finally going to behave?"

"I'll behave, I promise!" Man, she sure was strict…

"Alright then… to make a long story short, we'd been on the island a couple of weeks when I began to feel sick. Nothing major just small things like a bout of dizziness here and there, some nausea, feeling excessively sleepy and tired. I also began going through tons of food, kind of like you do. And I also started having these freaky, realistic dreams… more like nightmares. They always centered on a beautiful, smiling, green-eyed baby boy." Her voice trailed off at this point of time, the look in her eyes turning hauntingly poignant… and I got the distinct feeling that the picture she was describing – the beautiful, green-eyed baby – was never far from her mind.

When she finally shook herself out of her recollections and looked at me once again, the pain in her eyes literally lanced through my entire body. I instinctively moved towards her, wanting to go and comfort her but something in her demeanor held me back. She was throwing off some pretty strong 'Don't touch me' vibes. I decided to hold off on the comfort for the moment.

A momentary pause and she went on in the same emotionless, too-controlled voice as before. "Initially I attributed my symptoms to natural causes. I was too tired because all the outdoor activity – the swimming and the snorkeling wore me out. I was nauseous because I ate something bad. I was sleepy because the dreams wouldn't allow me enough rest…" She scoffed sarcastically.

By this time I was pretty sure she'd forgotten my presence. It was like she was in her own world now… talking to herself. "God, I was so blind! Blind to the changes my body was going through… blind to the miracle that was taking place within me… blind to the life Edward and I had unwittingly but lovingly created…"

'_But HOW in the world is it even possible?!?'_ Every particle of my body wanted to scream out loud. Somehow… barely… I managed to keep my mouth shut and my question to myself.

"Have you ever heard about something called 'the incubus'?" The question seemed to appear out of nowhere.

I gave it some thought. The term seemed vaguely familiar even though I was pretty sure I'd not heard of it. Oh well… I might have come across it in passing, sometime or the other in the course of business. "I uh… I don't think so. Why? Should I have? Anyway, what does… whatever that is… have to do with this story?"

"No… no… there's no reason that you should've known about this. I just thought you might've heard about it since they are… kind of… a type of vampires." I stiffened, the term niggling me even more now that I knew its origin. But whatever it was… the meaning of the term… it was still elusive, still just out of reach… "They are vampires that have the ability to father children." Fuck… That's what it was! That's the thing I'd been trying to remember.

God… _God_!

I thought I was going to be sick. I should be sick. I was sick.

I hurriedly turned my back to Bella not wanting her to see the waves of disgust rolling through my body at that exact moment. "I… uh… need a moment. Uh…er… excuse me for a minute." I walked into the kitchen, picked up the half filled whiskey bottle, unscrewed the cap and chugged down the remaining contents in a single gulp. The intense burn of the alcohol as it went through my body banished some of the disgust. It certainly took care of my intense desire to throw up.

'_Mission accomplished. Now get back in there and act normal.'_

"Sorry about that. Go on…"

She didn't pick up where she'd left off. Instead, she just stared at me with sorrow filled, knowing eyes. Dammit… I never could fool her.

"So, you discovered you were pregnant. You guys must've been thrilled, right? On seventh heaven, so to speak… Although, technically, he's a vampire so he's not allowed in heaven… so of course, I only meant that figuratively…" I realized that I was rambling and stuttered to a stop.

Thankfully, she picked up my lead. "I was. I was thrilled beyond belief. And totally, completely in love. With the world, with Edward, with the baby..." Her voice broke silent tears making their way down her cheeks. "I never knew I could feel like that. I hadn't even been aware that I'd wanted a child so much. I'd never even given the subject any thought. At least not until it was a moot point anyway. And then I couldn't stop thinking about it. A green-eyed, angel-faced baby boy who looked exactly like Edward… A tiny angel who'd call me Mommy in a sweet, child-like voice…" She shuddered soundlessly.

"But… in all the time that I spent, dreaming and yearning for this child, I never once imagined that Edward didn't want him too. That he was horrified at the prospect of a child… In my ignorance I convinced myself that he was just worried about him, about me. Oh God…" The blank, emotionless façade crumbled completely and there was nothing silent about her anguish anymore. "How wrong I was... He hated even the thought of a baby."

I couldn't bear to see her pain anymore and I went to her, taking her in my arms despite her obvious reluctance. She wouldn't let herself be comforted though… holding herself rigidly.

"Hey honey, you don't have to do this, you know. We can talk about this later… or…or not at all… whatever you want, honey… I can't bear to see you hurting like this."

"NO! No! I have to do this Jake. I _have_ to!" She seemed almost hysterical.

"Alright, alright… We'll talk about it. Shh… shh… Relax baby" I soothed her like I would soothe a spooked animal. Internally, I couldn't help but be more than a little worried about her condition, but I hoped desperately that it didn't show on my face.

"While I was dreaming rosy dreams of us as a family – Edward, the baby and me – he was plotting ways to kill him. He spoke to Carlisle and made arrangements for us to return home as soon as we found out about it. I was under the impression that we were returning home so that I could get checked out by Carlisle."

"Edward could see how ecstatic I was about the whole thing and he kept his thoughts to himself. On the flight back home, all I could think about was telling Charlie and Renee that they were going to be grandparents, telling you that you were going to be an honorary uncle…" My heart twisted painfully in my chest and the sick feeling returned full force.

"Oh Jake… I actually felt the baby move! I know that sounds damn near impossible – considering how I was not even a month into my pregnancy – but I swear I felt my baby move." She looked at me almost pleadingly, almost as if she was willing me to say I believed her. I wasn't sure I did, but I nodded at her anyway. She took the nod at face value and sagged back in relief. "It was just a little nudge but it was the most amazing feeling in the world."

She fell silent for a couple of minutes and I waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. I knew that whatever was coming next must be bad because as I looked on, what little color was left in her face drained off along with whatever little spirit and vitality she'd had.

I held my breath as she began talking again in a thready, hoarse whisper. "Carlisle picked us up at the airport and I was beyond thrilled to see him. I was anxious to get all my doubts clarified, so I kept asking Carlisle all these bizarre questions. I should've had some inkling about what was to come from his uncharacteristic silence but like a dimwit I chose to ignore all the signs."

"The first indication I had that something was terribly, terribly wrong was when we reached home and I noticed that none of the others were home. They'd been sent away… both Edward and Carlisle knew that none of them would be happy about either the situation or the course of action they were about to undertake. When I asked them why Esme or Alice for that matter weren't there to welcome us back home, they told me they'd gone hunting. I accepted that explanation blindly."

"Carlisle took me down to his makeshift examination room and gave me a thorough check up. Once he'd confirmed that I definitely was pregnant, he and Edward began having a heated discussion. Even then, all I could think was that there must be something wrong with my precious baby boy that they didn't want to tell me about. I freaked out and demanded to know what was wrong. That was when Carlisle told me…"

Her appearance was really beginning to freak me out. She'd gone so pale and lifeless that she was beginning to resemble a zombie. Her eyes were blank and unseeing. It felt like she was trapped in her own nightmare, reliving every second of the past. I briefly contemplated interrupting her, distracting her, dissuading her from continuing the horrifying tale, but I realized that she wouldn't appreciate the effort. Besides, as she'd already pointed out a while back, this was probably something she needed to talk about… to get off her chest. Maybe she needed this recitation to finally get over the ordeal… maybe this would help her begin healing.

'_Oh God… I hope so. I hope I'm right… I hope it doesn't make it worse. Please, please, please God… let me be right. I'll do anything…anything if you just make her better again. I don't ever want to see her this way again… Ever…'_

It went against every grain in me to see her in this much pain and not do anything about it but I sent up a brief, heartfelt prayer that this was for the best, squirmed uncomfortably to get some relief from the waves of guilt and settled down to see this through to its undoubtedly bitter end.

"He said it was killing me. My baby… he said it'd kill me if they didn't do anything about it soon. I naively thought that they were talking about giving me some vitamins, feeding me healthy food… heck, even putting me on total bed rest." She whispered. "But they didn't mean that… they meant, killing my baby!" She wailed heartbreakingly and it was the most horrible sound I'd ever heard. My whole body broke out in goose bumps.

"They explained that the creature… that's what they called my angelic baby boy, a creature… would use my body and all the energy and nutrients in it to survive, to grow. They said it'd slowly but surely suck the life out of me. And then, during the actual delivery, it'd apparently use its teeth to tear its way out of my body, finishing me off in the process."

My stomach heaved at the images her words were invoking in my mind and for a moment I thought that I wouldn't be able to control my reaction this time. When I thought of all that could have happened… I shuddered in horror. She went on as if she'd said nothing out of the ordinary, as if she hadn't just spoken of a creature… a life sucking monster taking root and flourishing inside of her body.

"Carlisle's words… the images generated by this whole explanation, horrified me, sure. But it didn't lessen my love for the tiny person inside me one bit. I wanted to have this child…desperately, against all odds… I wanted him. And for some reason, I was confident that it wouldn't be as terrible as they were making it out to be. I knew… beyond a doubt that I wouldn't die in the process. That I would survive… somehow, someway, I would survive."

She was totally, completely out of her mind… bloody, freaking insane! Once again, I had the intense urge to shake some sense into her.

"When they – Edward and Carlisle – told me that they thought the best course of action was to get rid of the baby as quickly as possible, I think I went a little crazy. I yelled and screamed and cried and wept till they finally gave in… or so it seemed. I didn't know that they were only bidding their time, waiting for me to let my guard down. I trusted them, you know. So I didn't give the subject anymore thought."

"That night, when they made dinner for me, Edward spiked it with something…a sedative of some kind. I ate the food, not once suspecting their true intentions. As soon as I started feeling the effects of the sedative though, I knew something was wrong."

'_Fucking parasite… bastard… fucking leech!! How dare he do this to her? First he got her pregnant… and then he drugged her?? How dare he take away her choice? What gave him the fucking right?'_

"The worst part was that they didn't totally put me out. At no point in the whole ordeal was I totally unconscious. I could feel everything they did to me…except that none of it hurt. I could hear everything, I could even talk – although my tongue felt heavy and my brain felt like it was full of cotton wool. I spent the whole time alternately pleading and threatening every single one of them. But they paid no attention to me."

"Edward, of course, spent the whole time apologizing profusely and telling me how what they were doing was for my own good… Neither of them supported me. I begged them to stop it, I pleaded for my child's life but none of it made any difference. They killed my child Jake… they murdered my beautiful baby boy in cold blood. And all of it was, as always, for my own good!"

By this time, even my eyes weren't totally dry. Bella was once again sobbing heartrendingly.

I was horrified… appalled at the entire story. What Bella had just described was horrifying. What the leeches had done was almost unforgivable… almost… because in some corner of my mind I wasn't sure I wouldn't have done the same thing under similar circumstances. Even the thought of it was shameful; the concept, utterly unpalatable and gross… but I couldn't very well lie to myself. I would have done anything… _anything_… to ensure her safety and well being. _'Including killing her unborn child without her consent…? Maybe…' _

But she wasn't done with her tale. After a few minutes, she was composed enough to move on.

"When I came out of the haze of the painkillers and anesthetics and realized that I couldn't feel my little nudger anymore, I lost it completely. I was inconsolable. I hated every single one of them… so much so that I wanted to kill them all! And then, sometimes I just wanted to die myself. A part of me, I think, did die that day. A tiny part of me died, right along with my baby."

"I couldn't imagine how much it hurt, Jake. I had never felt pain like that… never in my whole life… not even when Edward left me. I was worse than a zombie, worse than a dead person, worse than a vampire and I was in that state for months."

"I refused to talk to Edward. I couldn't even bare to look at him. What Carlisle did…? I could maybe understand it and even forgive it. He was just doing what he thought was his duty as a doctor. But what Edward did, that was unforgivable! I loved him, I trusted him and he lied to me. He killed my baby – our baby – and he didn't even regret it."

"Slowly, once I gave it some thought, I came to the realization that Alice of course must've known what would happen. After all, she could see the future. But even knowing what Edward was about to do she'd gone away anyway. She'd done nothing to stop the massacre… nothing to save my precious child. And I went through a phase of hating her too. The two people I'd loved the most had betrayed me in the worst possible way."

"Rosalie became my new best friend. She was furious on my behalf and I got the feeling that she and Esme were the only ones who truly understood the grief I was going through. Jasper was a godsend. I wouldn't have survived without his help. I might've either gone crazy or killed myself for sure but he helped dampen the pain… the anger… the hurt."

"I don't even know how much time I spent in that state. Could've been days or months or years… Edward was frantic. He tried to get me to snap out of it in every way possible, I think. I didn't care."

God I couldn't even imagine the kind of pain she must've been in… it sounded awful!

"Finally, one day I woke up to the realization that if I was so upset over the loss of a child whose existence I'd only known about for a few days; what would my parents have gone through at the news of my own death? That was the turning point. That realization gave me a new lease on life. I finally woke up to the fact that I had been very selfish, thinking only of my own happiness. I hadn't given their feelings one bit of thought. I realized then and there that I could never put them through what I myself had gone through… the loss of a child. And I knew that I couldn't let Edward change me anymore."

"It was then that I began to forgive Edward a little bit. I still wasn't completely over what he'd done but I could at least understand where he came from. I understood that misguided though his method was, he'd just been doing everything he could do to save me… to keep me safe."

"He, of course, was thrilled… both because I forgave him and also because I'd decided to stay human. He'd got what he wanted after all."

"Then, the rest of the problems began. What we didn't realize then was that my decision to remain human had essentially put the final nail in the coffin of our marriage. Basically, we realized we couldn't ever be intimate again. There would always be the possibility that he'd hurt me unknowingly and also, being aware of the consequences we faced – me getting pregnant again – we couldn't take the risk. I, of course, still hadn't completely forgiven him for his actions and the lack of intimacy just pulled us further and further apart. Soon, we didn't have anything to talk about even when we were alone, which was a rare occurrence to begin with."

"Finally about one year into the marriage, we decided it wasn't going to work out for either of us. I'd changed too much. I couldn't look at him and see my perfect, godlike Edward anymore. He'd messed up and I now knew that he was flawed… a fact that he was very much aware of. He couldn't bear the thought of losing my love and adoration."

"So, I walked out and enrolled into a school in London. And the rest, as they say is history."

She fell silent, seemingly drained from experiencing so many emotions at once time.

I didn't say anything… I couldn't. I just tightened my arms around her and pulled her closer so that she was almost sitting in my lap with her head resting on my chest and my chin on the top of her head. I rubbed my hand soothingly down her back waiting patiently for her tears to subside and for her to gain some semblance of control.

"Do you know, when Edward was trying to make things better between us, he actually offered to let me have a child with someone else… you, specifically… if I wanted to?" She asked me in an agonized whisper. I jerked in surprise. "He actually said I could have as many as I wanted."

'_No fucking way! The leech was definitely, positively crazy!! How could he even make such an offer? How could he tell his freaking wife that it was okay to not just sleep with someone else but also to make kids with him? And not just anyone else… no, it had to be me… the other guy that he knew his wife was in love with! Jesus! He was sick… revolting… disgusting!'_

And then another realization sank in.

'_If… if… Bella had agreed with him and decided to take him up on his suggestion, they might still be married. We might have a child with each other but they might be raising it… together. So, essentially, I'd be nothing more than a fucking sperm donor!! No fucking way!' _

I tried very hard not to let Bella see my thoughts on my face. She was already upset as it is; she didn't need any more grief from me. I tucked this new bit of information in a private corner in my mind, ready to be examined and dealt with later, at my own convenience.

The rest of the sick stuff was more difficult to ignore. While my face and body language conveyed nothing but calm acceptance and support, my thoughts were buzzing around like a hive of angry bees. The things she'd told me tonight were going through my mind continuously in a never ending loop.

The emotions running through me were so varied and so conflicting that even I didn't know what I was actually feeling. There was anger, sure – loads of it…I was especially pissed at what the leech had put her through. In fact, I was so mad at him, I had half a mind to call him and give him a good tongue lashing. How dare he make Bella miserable? How dare he break her heart… after vowing that he never would? What did he think of himself?

At the same time, a tiny little part of me couldn't help but acknowledge that the leeches actions were probably responsible for her being here right now… alive… human. I didn't, I _couldn't_ ever regret that…

But did that mean that I was secretly glad that Bella's baby hadn't survived? After all, she'd as much as admitted to me today that losing her baby had been the one eye opening experience in her life… the turning point so to speak. If Edward hadn't done what he did, who knows, she might even now be a leech… or worse, dead! So, yeah… a tiny little part of me was kinda grateful. And I was feeling extremely ashamed of myself for even thinking along those lines.

I mean, I shouldn't be happy and grateful for anything that made Bella miserable, right? I was her freaking best friend… and I'd always claimed that I was better than Edward… in every way possible. Yet, what right did I have to say that when in some corner of my mind, I was relieved that Bella didn't have an evil, monster spawn/child with the leech?

Shit! I absolutely hated myself for having such thoughts! I was a monster… a devil for wishing any kind of unhappiness on my best friend. I mean, no one should have to go through any of the stuff Bella talked about but especially not her… not my Bella… not my best friend…not the lov… I quickly shook that thought off.

I couldn't even imagine how devastating losing a child would be… but to have it forcibly taken from you by the one person who you trust the most…? Fuck that must be agonizing! No wonder she seemed so screwed up! And no wonder she fell apart at even the slightest mention of the baby…

And here I was, potentially only making things worse by feeling happy about it. God, I should be clobbered for being such an asshole!

I looked down into her face guiltily. Her tears had finally subsided except for a few sniffles along the way. The torment I'd seen in her eyes on and off since I'd met her seemed on the wane. Maybe I'd been right after all… talking about it had brought her some peace of mind.

I couldn't help feeling like a first-class bastard. She had such a trusting, secure expression on her face. I'd been running my hand over her hair soothingly and she looked like she found the touch comforting. She almost looked like she was on the verge of falling asleep.

Shit! Shit! Shit! I couldn't… I couldn't just go on holding her and comforting her, acting all hypocritical while I was having such traitorous thoughts. I just had to get out of here before I lost it completely. I picked her off my lap and gently laid her down on the bed. Then I strode towards the bedroom door hastily while speaking to her over my shoulder. "Excuse me Bells. I'll be back in a few minutes okay? I'm sorry about this." I didn't wait around for her approval but high-tailed it to the main door as quickly as I could.

The urge to phase… to break _something_… to hurt _someone_ was so strong that it was a miracle that I could hold on for as long as I did. The moment I cleared the threshold, I phased in midair, ripping my clothes to shreds in the process.

Fuck… it felt so good.

I sprinted full tilt towards the forest… wanting to burn away the excess energy, the anger and the unbearable waves of guilt away as quickly as I could. I didn't want Bella to think that I couldn't handle her story… or worse yet, that I'd abandoned her right in the middle of her crisis.

After getting rid of some of the excess aggression I stumbled back into the house. It was only at this time that I realized that I didn't have any clothes on.

'_Great going genius! Not only did you walk out on Bella but now you're going to have to walk back into the room buck naked! Way to go! It'll be a surprise if she doesn't take one look at you, mistake your intentions and runs back home yelling bloody murder along the way! You better hope with all your heart that she's asleep… or you're screwed… big time!!'_

I desperately looked around for some sort of cover… a sheet, a towel, something of the sort… to at least achieve the basic minimum level of decency. After all, there was no way of knowing for sure if she was asleep.

Unfortunately, the only thing I could come up with that remotely resembled a sheet in any way was a roll of Bounty!

I frantically looked around again but still came up short. Oh God, apparently I was going to have to make do with Bounty! It was either that or the living room blinds. And those would just be way too weird. Geez… this was going to be embarrassing.

Thank God, at least the pack wasn't around to witness this. Otherwise I'd never ever live it down.

I shrugged in resignation. Well… better to get this over with now. Anguishing over it would only delay the inevitable anyway…

I began wrapping the paper towel round and round myself in multiple layers ensuring adequate opacity and optimum coverage. It took practically the whole of the roll to ensure some semblance of decency. I cringed at the thought of Bella's reaction if she wasn't asleep. She was going to be scandalized.

'_God… why don't you ever think things through, huh? Why do you always have to be spontaneous and have instant gratification? You're supposed to be the damn alpha… you're supposed to have more patience than this! Just because you were upset, you had to phase right that very minute? Damn! Now face the consequences of your actions. And don't blame me if Bella never ever wants to talk to you again!'_

I hesitantly knocked on the bedroom door and waited a couple of minutes for Bella to answer. When there was no response, I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that my prayers had been answered and that she was really asleep. I gingerly walked into the room trying to be as quiet as possible. I didn't want to chance waking her up.

I trained my eyes on the floor and shifted sideways towards the closet which just had to be on the other side of the damn room! I quickly snatched a random pair of sweats and tried to slither back into the hallway to get rid of my current outlandish getup.

A loud guffaw of laughter stopped me in my tracks.

Shit! I should've known that I wouldn't be so lucky as to escape unnoticed. After all… when had I ever been lucky in my entire life? Fate had never been kind to me… why should now be any different?

I turned around cautiously, conscious that for once in my life, I was blushing. I didn't like the feeling one bit. It was way more fun to put someone else on the spot. I was beginning to have a firsthand knowledge of why Bella hated her tendency to blush so much.

I chanced a glance towards Bella and noticed her rolling around on the bed in laughter.

"I… I thought you would be asleep by now." I muttered self consciously.

"Thank God I'm not! Otherwise I'd have missed out on this brilliant sight, wouldn't I?" She had a genuine smile on her face… a mischievous one.

I allowed myself a small smile which quickly turned into a chuckle as I acknowledged the ridiculousness of my predicament. And plus, all I'd been really worried about was Bella's reaction. The relief that came with knowing she wasn't angry at me freed up my mind enough to appreciate the humor in the situation.

I also figured that anything that had the effect of getting Bella's mind off her misery and making her laugh was worth going through. Heck, I'd voluntarily dress up in Bounty rolls for the rest of my life if only I could see this exact smile on Bella's face forever…

Finally she managed to get her mirth somewhat under control. She looked me right in the eye and said, "Nice fashion statement Mr. Black. A tad environment-unfriendly to be sure… but definitely full of flair… And potential… how could I forget potential?"

The mischievous smile on her face made me want to do things to her that I had no business thinking of right now…like licking the corner of her mouth… and biting her bottom lip…

'_Dammit! Now is not the time to think of such provocative things! You're dressed in Bounty sheets for heaven's sake!! Do you want to compound the situation by flashing her?!?'_

"You!" I pointed my finger at her accusingly but couldn't wipe out the smirk on my face. "I'll deal with you later. Right now, I have a wardrobe malfunction to correct and my dignity to restore. But once I'm done with that, you better beware. I'm gonna make you regret ever laughing at my expense, see if I don't. Stay right there. I'll be right back."

"Oooohhhh… I'm scared of the big bad wolf! Help! Somebody, save me!" she still had the saucy expression on her face. Damn! I so wanted to taste the 'saucy' off of her lips. And I wouldn't mind sampling the rest of her along the way either.

'_Alrighty… that's it! It's time for you to leave before you get us in any more trouble… Scoot!'_

As I turned around to leave, I realized that she'd probably want to leave for home right away. It was extremely late and she didn't have a vehicle, so she'd probably need me to drive her home. That being the case, I should probably pull on a pair of jeans or something.

I forcibly silenced the part of my brain that was insisting that I keep quiet and not remind her if she didn't remember herself. I also tamped down heaps of disappointment that my time with her was up… at least for the moment.

"Uh… Bells, it is rather late, you know. You must want to leave. It's so stupid of me not to realize it sooner. Wait, let me just change and I'll drive you back, alright?"

"Wait, Jake. Uhh… er… is it alright if I stayed here tonight?" She asked hesitantly.

'_You're kidding me, right? I would LOVE to have you stay over!'_ I gaped at her in undisguised glee.

But apparently she mistook my silence for reluctance. "Uh… of course, it's okay if you don't want me to or anything. I mean, I was just thinking that since it's so late, you'd be wasting more of your sleep time in driving me over and then driving back. Also, I'm pretty sure Renee, Dylan and Lisa are asleep by now. Their sleep would be disturbed too. And there's no point in everyone losing sleep, is there? But as I said, if that doesn't work for you, that's okay too. I guess my clothes must be all dry now. I'll change too, while you're changing, you know. Just give me five minutes, alright?" She ground to a stop. Her eyes were firmly trained towards the floor and even though she tried to act all rational about it, I knew I wasn't mistaking the disappointment in her eyes.

My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I made my way towards her. I gingerly used one finger to tilt her face upwards so that she was forced to meet my gaze. Her eyes, when she met mine, were full of apology and confusion. I hoped that mine adequately conveyed my feelings on the topic. Even then, I wanted there to be no room for any kind of misunderstanding.

"Shhh… Bells… of course you can stay… anytime! You know this. Do you even have to ask, honey?" I asked gently while maintaining eye contact with her. She finally seemed to get the message because as I watched, the confusion on her face was transformed into optimistic hope. She gave me a hesitant but bright smile which I returned. "Alright then… that's settled. You can have the bed of course. I'll take the couch. But first things first… let me go change. I'll be back in a few minutes to say goodnight, alright?"

She nodded.

I turned to leave when I thought of something else.

"Oh, by the way, don't bother with your clothes. I kinda like the idea of you lying in my bed, wearing my clothes…" I winked at her lasciviously.

She, of course, turned bright red and quickly averted her eyes, choosing not to answer me in any way. But as I looked on she silently made her way towards the bed, lifted the covers and got in, making herself comfortable. I grinned triumphantly but wisely held my tongue about the subject.

I quickly made my way to the bathroom, wasting no time in untangling myself from the layers of paper. I quickly lost patience with doing it systematically and tore through it as quickly as I could. After all, Bella Swan was lying in my bed, in my clothes… and I was damn eager to get back to her.

'_Okay, down boy! She's been through a lot tonight. She's mentally and physically exhausted and she doesn't need to deal with you acting like a randy teenager right now.'_

'_I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I was just talking about going there, making sure she's alright and wishing her good night. That's all…'_

My stupid alter ego was far from convinced. It actually had the gall to roll its eyes at me. Well… I'd take care of it later.

While I was leaving the bathroom, I realized that Renee probably didn't know that Bella was over at my place and she might be worried if she woke up to Bella not being at home. It was obviously too late to call her so I made a quick call to someone who I knew wouldn't mind the lateness of the hour.

A cautious voice answered on the first ring. "Jacob?"

"Hey… Um… Hi Jasper. Hey, man, I just wanted to let you know that Bella was going to stay over tonight. I just wanted to let someone know so that you guys wouldn't be worried. Let Renee know, alright?"

"Yeah sure… I thought that might turn out to be the case." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes even the leeches could be such… well… boys!

"Good. Thank you. Well… goodnight then."

"Oh yeah… goodnight to you too… But I'm sure you'll have one even if I don't wish you, right?" He laughingly commented.

I sighed with exaggerated patience but couldn't keep the grin off of my face.

'_Thank God the leech's powers don't work over telephone lines and he can't know what I'm feeling right now! It'd be damn embarrassing if he could… not to mention potentially life threatening!'_

As I was about to hang up I heard Jasper call out to Alice in a singsong voice, "Honey… you owe me a thousand bucks."

"What!?! _NO_!! She didn't!!" She sounded scandalized. Then… "Dammit!! I _HATE_ being blind and I _HATE_ the freaking werewolves!! Ugh!" I almost bust my gut laughing.

I raced back to the room as soon as I hung up the phone trying valiantly to get my mirth under control. It became easier to do as I got closer to the door. Another emotion took over slowly but completely – Lust.

Now it was a struggle to calm down my raging hormones. But, apparently, even the relaxation and meditation I'd taught myself when I first became alpha were useless when it came to Bella Swan. That woman was going to be the death of me!

I nearly groaned out loud when I crept back into the room and saw her snuggled comfortably into my pillow… with my quilt wrapped snugly around her. God…how I hated my pillow and quilt at that moment. What I wouldn't give to be in their place right then…

I shook off these thoughts and walked over to her silently. She seemed like she was already asleep and I didn't want to wake her up. I would've loved to spend some more time with her, talk to her some more… but the events of the evening followed by our gut-wrenching conversation had to have knocked the stuffing out of her. She needed all the sleep she could get.

I sighed; feeling an odd combination of disappointment and happiness. Disappointment for all the obvious reasons… happiness… mainly because she was here, right in front of my eyes – safe, sound and at peace. What more could I ask for?

I reached out a tentative hand to smooth her hair back and pressed a fleeting kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight Bells. Sleep tight. Sweet dreams." I whispered quietly and turned away to head towards the living room and a tiny, lumpy couch.

"Where do you think you're going?" the sleepy question startled me into freezing in place.

"Hey Bells. I thought you were asleep. Why aren't you? You're comfortable, right? Do you need anything?"

"Um Hmm…" was her only reply.

"What? What do you need? Can I get you a pillow, more blankets…?"

"You... just you…"

My breath left my body in a whoosh.

'_Was I hearing right? Did she just say what I think she said? God, was she trying to KILL me?!?'_

"Bells?" I couldn't bring myself to say anything else. My brain had stopped functioning completely… short circuited the moment I'd heard her say the word, 'You'.

She raised herself up on her elbows, looking at me innocently. "Come here you… just stay with me tonight. Hold me. I don't want to be alone. I'm gonna have nightmares, I just know it. I need you to slay the dragons. Can you do that Jake? Can you be my knight in shining armor?" Her voice sounded like that of a frightened little schoolgirl.

My heart twisted painfully. I moved quickly towards the bed and kneeled down next to it.

"Of course I'll be your knight in shining armor. Aren't I already? Now scooch over…"

I eased myself in besides her. It was a small bed, ensuring a tight fit. I could feel every curve, every inch of Bella's body against mine. Yup… she was _definitely_ trying to kill me, no doubt about it!

I mentally cursed myself for being such an idiotic, gullible fool where she was concerned and steeled myself for a night of torment. Then her eyes met mine in the darkness and the lingering remnants of pain in hers brought me crashing back to reality… making my gut twist horrifically.

'_You asshole, tonight isn't about sex! You better keep that in mind. She needs comfort from her best friend…someone to soothe her and hold her… not a freaking sex maniac. Now, behave yourself… even if it kills you to do so!'_

I immediately pulled her into my arms, urging her to use my shoulder as a pillow. I pressed my lips against her hair in a reassuring, brotherly gesture. "Sleep Bella… I'll be right here. I'll keep all the demons at bay."

She snuggled against my side trustingly… throwing her arm around me in a one-armed hug and sighed contentedly.

I felt such an overwhelming surge of tenderness for her flow through me in that instant that I was completely blown away. How I'd like to see someone threaten her now!

"Good night Jake." She whispered sleepily. "Thank you for letting me stay."

"Anytime honey. Now just close your eyes and try not to think of anything."

"Thanks for being my best friend again Jake." She went on. "I… I don't know how I lived without you for so long. I'm so stupid!"

"Hey, hey… none of that. We both did some stupid things. But that's behind us now…"

"I'm glad I found you again. You'll be here, won't you? When I get up in the morning? And later too…? You won't leave me, will you?" She sounded apprehensive.

"No honey, I'll never leave you again. I promise. I'll always and forever be your best friend. Happy?"

"Umm hmmm…" She burrowed even closer into my side and finally… finally fell into a deep sleep.

Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy for me. What came so easy and natural to her was proving to be mighty elusive where I was concerned. And I was pretty damn sure it had something to do with my earlier feeling of guilty relief.

"I'm sorry Bells… I'm so, so sorry." I whispered in the dark once I was sure that she was too far gone to hear me. I had to get this off my chest. "I'm glad that you didn't have your baby. I'm so very glad that you're still alive but most of all, I'm glad that you aren't with the leech anymore." I took in a shuddering breath, almost overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of guilt I was still feeling. "I know that makes me a horrible, terrible person. But, tell me, how could I ever regret this… having you here… soft and warm… in my arms?" The inherent selfishness in that thought made me feel even worse.

God… I _was_ a monster!

"Please don't hate me… please?"

**A/N: - 'Eeks'! (Ducks in terror) What did you think? Did you like it, love it, hate it…? Do you think it was totally unbelievable… completely unrealistic… utterly ridiculous…? Whatever your thoughts, I'd appreciate you sharing them with me. **

**I know I've been a 'Meanie' the last few chapter by threatening to hold back updates if I didn't get enough reviews **_**and**_** I've felt terrible about it!! Sooo, I'm not going to do so this time. No threats… no begging. I really hope you will still tell me what you think though. You guys have been awesome the last few chapters… and I really hope you'll continue to appreciate the effort and the time invested into this and let me know what you think. Thank you!**

**Also, I know I've already said this… but it has to be said once again… thank you to both my awesomely brilliant betas!! I really, really appreciate your thoughts and inputs and I couldn't have done any of this without either of you. Thank you Cheryl! Thank you Ashley! **

**Also, a quick reminder for all of you to read all of Ashley's stories too. She writes under the name 'augustblack' and is an amazingly talented author. Show her you love her by reviewing her stories too. Thank you. **


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Disclaimer: - Definitely not mine. Would I be writing Fanfiction if I owned the characters? Duh!**

**Hope this chapter exonerates Leah at least a little bit…**

**This chapter is also dedicated to Cheryl and Ashley – my brilliant, wonderful betas who are a constant source of encouragement and support and my soulmate – Erin. I don't think she has any idea how much she influences this story. Her love for Jake is a constant source of inspiration! Thanks babe! **

**Really guys, your friendship means the world to me! Thank you for being you! Love you all!!**

JPOV

'_I lied. I lied. I lied. I'm not sorry. I'm GLAD that she's alive. I'm not sorry. Goddammit! I fucking HATE the fucking leech. He's ruining everything … and he's not even here! If… when I met him next – God help him – cuz' I'm gonna tear him into tiny little pieces, burn them to ashes and toss the ashes into an active volcano! I'm sorry Bells… I'm sorry that you had to go through such pain… but… I'm not sorry that you're alive…'_

Three days after Bella's confession from hell, I still couldn't get any of it out of my head. Every single free moment I had, I could only think about the hell she'd been through.

What made it worse was my terrible guilt over the feeling of relief that I couldn't help experiencing and the overwhelming belief that this made me as bad as the leech himself. I haven't been able to face anyone though…especially not Bella or any of my brothers with this terrible secret inside of me.

As a result, I'd been avoiding Bella's calls and suggestions to get together for three days now…ever since I'd dropped her off at Charlie's the morning after the talk. I'd also been resisting phasing…terrified that someone or the other would discover my shameful secret.

Tonight, the effort had proved too much and I'd finally given into the urge to phase… but I'd made sure that there was no one else on patrol first.

Now, confident that I had the woods to myself, I dropped my guard down and let my thoughts run free.

"_Hey!! There he is, finally!! Dude, where the hell have you been? We haven't seen you or heard from you in three goddamn days!"_ Embry's enthusiasm and joy were embarrassingly transparent.

"_Yeah welcome back, dude! It's real nice to have you back."_ That was Quil. As usual, they were inseparable.

Shit! Shit! Goddammit! What the hell were they doing out here? No one was supposed to be here at this time! Couldn't a guy ever be alone…?

"_What the fuck are you guys doing here?"_ I snarled, not bothering to hide my displeasure.

"_Ouch! Is that any way to greet you brothers, Jake? I can't believe I'm saying this but I think my feelings are actually hurt."_ This coming from Paul would've been freaking hilarious under ordinary circumstances. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood to laugh.

"_Yeah, I'd have to say I agree with Paul on this one. My feelings are hurt too. Dude, you've been avoiding us. And I gotta say… I don't like it. I don't like it one bit!" _Jared…

What the fuck was this? What the fuck was going on here? Why were they popping up out of the wood work one by one? And why were they even out here? Were they just waiting around to ambush me or something?

"_Oops… I think he's figured out the plan guys. Do we make a run for it or try to stand up to him?"_ There was just a tiny thread of nervousness in Seth's voice.

"_No one's running away!" _Typical Leah bravado… she never did things halfway. God, I had to admire her balls.

Shit! Shit! Fuck!! They were all here! I couldn't believe I'd been so gullible as to believe that they'd take my absence for three days just lying down. While I'd been congratulating myself on successfully fooling and evading them, they'd been busy planning this ambush.

Dammit! And they'd been so goddamn smart about it too. They'd known that I wouldn't be able to go for too long without phasing, so all they'd really had to do was wait around for me to do so… in their human forms. And I'd walked into their trap like a goddamn idiot! Well… that's what I got for insisting that all of us undergo stealth exercises as part of training every three months or so. Although, to be honest, when I'd made the rules – right around the time that we'd started getting more and more dangerous cases of the human variety – I'd never imagined that the very same training could and would one day be used against me!

"_Alright, fine! You've got me! Yes, I have been trying to avoid you for the last few days. But there was a reason behind it and that reason still exists. I still have to sort out some things in my head and I need some space. So please, leave me alone. I'll talk to you guys in a few days."_

"_Not a chance in hell! And don't even bother trying to order us away. I don't know about the rest of the guys but I for one am not leaving until I get some answers. And if I have to disobey a direct order from my alpha to ensure that he's alright then so be it! You know what that means Jake and you also know that I wouldn't hesitate to do it."_

"_Dammit Leah, why do you always have to make everything so complicated? Why can't you, for once, listen to me without questioning every single decision, all the bloody time?"_

"_I'm going to assume that's a rhetorical question so I'm not even going to bother answering it."_

Everyone could sense Sam wince in sympathy. Leah bristled in response, growling warningly.

"_Cut it out, you two."_ I snapped out warningly… out of habit, but my heart wasn't in it. _"What do you guys want? I really, really want to be alone right now."_

"_And I really, really want a double fudge chocolate sundae. But guess what alpha? We can't always get what we want can we? So, tough luck, but we're not going anywhere till we get some answers!"_

Dammit, what in hell could've ever prompted me to make Leah my beta? I must have been out of my freaking mind!

"_I hate to agree with Leah right now, but she was right when she said, not a chance in hell. We want to know why you've been avoiding us. We want to know what's wrong. We want to help in any way we can. We want our best friend back."_ Embry words were completely heartfelt and I couldn't help but be touched by their sincerity.

"_Yeah, we've missed you man!" _Quil added, equally earnestly.

All of their minds were an open book to me and their feeling of confusion at my behavior, the hurt at my refusal to share my feelings with them… it was all out in the open for me to see.

I felt an overwhelming sense of regret.

"_I'm sorry guys. I didn't realize that my actions would hurt your feelings. Believe me, it wasn't my intention to do anything of the sort." _

"_It's alright. Don't mention it. Now… fill us in on what's been going on." _Embry was as forgiving as ever. Thank God.

Unsurprisingly, it was Leah who asked the obvious question. _"How did the talk with the leech-lover go?"_

"_Shut up, Leah! God, do you ever quit being a bitch?" _The venom in Embry's voice was also pretty much unsurprising. After all, I'd seen the whole confrontation between Leah and Bella and Embry's part in it in Embry's thoughts when he'd forced me to run to Bella's rescue.

"_Oh yeah? I don't remember talking to you, bastard! And as I remember, me being a bitch is what got you interested in the first place!"_

All of us winced simultaneously. None of us wanted any part in this particular confrontation.

This reminded me… forcibly… that I hadn't talked to either Leah or Embry about what was going on between them. The sense of shame was instantaneous – I'd been neglecting my duties as alpha. Two of my pack mates were having a major difference of opinion. It was my duty to set things straight between them. I had no clue how to go about doing that. I figured it'd come to me when the time came. But, first things first…

"_Cut it out, you two. We'll talk about this soon. But, now's not the time"_

"_You're right. I'm sorry. This definitely isn't the time. We were talking about Bella…"_ Embry was immediately contrite. _"Tell us what happened."_

I couldn't stop my brain from displaying random thoughts and images from my conversation with Bella.

"_Dude, you slept with her?!?"_ was the first question Quil asked, his voice full of awe.

I was sure that if I hadn't been in my wolf form and had full use of my facilities, I'd have swatted him on the head… and I wouldn't have been the only one. As it is, I had a hard time controlling the urge to tackle him and take a swipe at him with my paws. I sensed Leah, Embry and Sam also struggling with the same impulse.

"_Is that the first thing you can think of, pervert?"_ Leah growled… her contempt coming through, loud and clear.

"_What? What's wrong with it? Jakey boy's lusted after this chick… what… six, seven years? Man, this is huge! He finally got some! Now maybe we won't suffer from perpetual blue ball syndrome."_ He laughingly pointed out.

"_Dammit, it wasn't like that! I didn't sleep with her, at least not in the way you're talking about. Yes, we slept in the same bed… slept being the operative word here. I only spent the whole night holding her and comforting her and soothing the nightmares away. Nothing happened… nothing! God she was such a wreck… I couldn't have done anything even if I'd wanted to. If you'd heard her story, believe me, you'd have not done anything either!"_ My mind kept flashing back to the image of Bella's tear ravaged face.

"_God! Tell us what happened." _This time, it wasn't just a casual request. It was a need to know.

As succinctly and briefly as possible, I told them everything Bella had told me about her pregnancy and its unfortunate outcome.

Their reactions were instantaneous and entirely predictable. In fact, their reactions were so loud and immediate, they caused a cacophony of sound inside my head that was damn near intolerable.

"_Holy shit!! That is fucked up man… seriously fucked up!" _

"_Oh God!"_

"_Jesus Christ…"_

"_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"_

"_Holy crap! Jesus… Holy fucking hell…"_

There was outrage, disgust, disbelief, horror… but most of all, there was an overwhelming thread of anguish and sympathy for Bella.

And then there was nothing but the insurmountable rage.

"_Kill the leech… I'm going to goddamn kill the fucking leech…"_

As I said… understandable and totally, completely predictable… because that's exactly what I'd gone through too.

Leah's thoughts were the only noticeable difference in this recurring theme.

"_Oh God, oh God, oh God…"_

"_Leah? You alright?"_ I questioned cautiously.

"_No"_ was all she said before she phased back into her human form right in front of our eyes and collapsed to the ground. She curled up into a ball on the dirt… unaware or uncaring of her nudity.

It took me a while to figure out that the weird sounds she was making were actually sobs. As I got a good look at her face, I could make out the tears that were streaming down her cheeks and her face was starkly illuminated by shame and misery. All of us were used to seeing each other in all our glory – after being shape shifters for almost 8 years now, it was impossible to retain even a modicum of modesty or privacy – yet somehow, all of us averted our eyes away from Leah's tortured form. Somehow, this misery she was in right now was too private for even us to witness.

"I was horrible to her. I hated her. I called her all sorts of things… accused her of the most terrible things. I was such a bitch to her… and she said nothing. Not a single word… even in her own defense."

All of a sudden, the source of Leah's torment was all too clear. Of course, she'd regret saying all those things to Bella, being so mean and horrible to her. She was a woman – one who'd been denied the man she'd loved beyond all reason and her ability to ever have a family of her own by a cruel twist of fate. She understood exactly what Bella had gone through. In fact, the parallels between their tales were eerie.

I also understood in a blinding moment of clarity that this was the reason behind Leah's blind hatred of Bella too – the fact that she reminded Leah of herself.

The pack's minds were a muddle of sympathy and pity. Now I also got the reason behind Leah wanting to be in her human form for this confession. She didn't want to face any of the pity.

Out of love and respect for her… for her feelings, I phased too. I quickly donned the cut-offs tied around my leg and threw the shirt respectfully over Leah's prone form grateful for the impulse that'd made me take it along on this run. I gently, tentatively ran my hand over her head, trying to soothe her torment and couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly grateful that she didn't bite my head off in the process. Behind us, I could sense the others phasing back to human form one by one.

As her tears subsided, I discreetly motioned to Seth and Sam to come over. "Sam, Seth, take Leah home. And don't leave her alone till she'd okay."

I could almost sense Embry chafing to go along. He even took a couple of steps in her direction.

"Back off, Em. I've asked Seth and Sam to take care of it... not you."

He ignored me and moved closer to Leah's prone form.

I aimed a warning glace at him. "No! I want to talk to you."

"But Jake…"

"I said no. I meant it." I refuted flatly.

I could see Embry struggling to maintain his temper. "But why Sam…?" the meaning behind the question was not lost on any of us.

"Because I said so! You got a problem with that?" I challenged aggressively.

It was clear that he did have a problem, that he wanted to argue the point, maybe even fight till he got his way with me but somehow he refrained himself. I knew the exact moment when he decided to give in without making an issue out of it. The aggression drained out of his body and his eyes which were locked onto mine till a few minutes ago sank to the ground respectfully in a universal sign of conceding to the leader. "No" he said, his voice echoing his body language.

I felt my own stance relax. I was glad that a full on confrontation had been avoided. I hadn't wanted to enforce my decision onto Embry… I was never comfortable doing so… but I would've done it if needed.

I honestly believed that Leah didn't need the additional tension and grief that Embry's presence would bring to the already tense situation… at least not for the moment. I knew they had to sort things out between them… it was obvious, even to a blind person, that they cared very deeply about each other… and they needed to clear the air between them pretty soon. But right now, adding Embry to the already volatile mix would be like adding a dash of gas to an already out of control blaze.

Things… Leah as well as Embry… both needed to settle down first. I was hoping that Seth and Sam, hopefully with the help of Sue and Emily would succeed in settling Leah down. I, with ample input from Quil, intended to do the same with Embry.

Seth and Sam, aware that the situation had been diffused for the moment, stepped forward and helped Leah up from her position on the floor.

As she was being led away, Leah looked at me pitifully. "Jake, if I'd known what she went through, I wouldn't have been so horrible to her, you know that right? I… I… I'm sorry. Will you tell her that? That I never meant to dredge up hurtful memories? Will you also tell her that I was only trying to protect my friend, my alpha from getting hurt again?" Her eyes were begging me for understanding and forgiveness. I knew that she was saying all these things to me as well as the rest of the pack. She didn't really expect me to apologize to Bella on her behalf. Leah was too proud not to do her own apologizing…she'd get to it in her own sweet time. But, right now, she needed her brothers to understand and forgive her and she was too ashamed to ask for it directly. Hence the 'apologize to Bella on my behalf' ruse…

"Sure Leah, I'll tell her that. I'm sure she'll understand where you were coming from. I'm sure she'll know that you meant well."

Immediately catching on to my implicit approval, she sagged back against Seth… as if she had no more strength left in her legs. I inclined my head towards Sam and Seth, urging them to take her home before she collapsed completely. Sensing her precarious condition, Sam took matters into his own hand and quickly cradled her into his arms. As soon as Embry saw this, his stance became aggressive and a threatening growl erupted from him. Quil and I moved quickly towards him, taking hold of each of his arms in an effort to hold him back if needed. I quickly inclined my head to Sam and Seth, indicating that they hot foot it out of here asap. Fortunately, they didn't hesitate, walking briskly in the direction of the reservation.

Long after they'd walked out of sight, Embry continued watching in the direction they'd gone with a tortured look in his eyes.

I looked at Quil motioning to him discreetly that I wanted him to help me deal with our best friend. He nodded back his understanding.

"Embry, Quil… walk with me." I said out loud. "The rest of you are free to go home." I tried to frame that as a statement even though they all knew it was an indirect order.

There was some grumbling and some hesitation but thankfully no one resisted out right… too much.

Quil walked over to me immediately but the hesitation on Embry's part was obvious and deliberate. Finally, he dragged his feet over to where Quil and I stood patiently.

"What?" His tone gave ample indication as to his unhappiness with me.

I tried not to bristle… tried to keep in mind that he cared about Leah a great deal… tried to imagine that I'd have felt the same way if it'd been Bella we'd been talking about. I think it was this last thought that allowed me to speak to him with a sense of calm understanding, when I actually wanted to snap at him to stop acting like a petulant child.

"Em, give her time. This has been a lot for her to deal with. She needs to come to terms with it first. She doesn't need you to crowd her."

He immediately bristled in indignation.

"Look, I know you care for her, okay?" I hurried to smooth his ruffled feathers. "I'm not trying to imply that you'd deliberately hurt her or something. I know you'd never do that. But she is hurting… badly. She just realized how terribly cruel and unjust she was to Bella. You and I both know how difficult it is for Leah to accept that she's wrong about something. Now think about how raw she must be… especially when it's something this big… especially when it's Bella we're talking about here. Just give her some space, give her time… I'm sure she'll come around on her own." I hesitantly placed my hand on Embry's shoulder in a gesture of solidarity and comfort. "I'm with you man."

The tension slowly seeped out of Embry's body. Quil and I shared a mutual look of relief knowing that the crisis had been averted and that things would soon return to normal.

"Soooo… you want to tell us about what's going on between you and Leah? How long has it… whatever the hell it is… been going on? And how the hell did both of you manage to hide it from us?"

Embry gave us a quick smile before his face turned sober once again. "I love her. Completely, totally love her. What I feel for her…? It's beyond me… beyond her… beyond everyone else. It's bigger than destiny, bigger than the whole pack. It's everything! That's what's going on." Quil and I could only look on in shock. We'd known it was big but we'd had no idea it was this big.

He went on. "Jake, do you remember how you always used to say that you didn't think you'd ever imprint… that wouldn't care even if you did?" I simply nodded. Of course, I remembered saying that… I'd always said that when talking about my feelings for Bella. "That's how I feel about her man. I know for a fact that no stupid, freaking imprint could even come close to what I feel for her. There's no place for an imprint in my life. She's everything, man. I'm consumed by her."

Wow! Wow…

I imagined Quil and I had similar looks on our faces… those of complete surprise. I could feel my jaw almost hitting the floor.

"But… how… when… where… what…?" was all Quil could utter and yet I understood perfectly what he meant to say.

"Yes. Exactly…"

Embry looked at both of us laughingly. I'm sure our lack of mental and verbal facilities was incredibly humorous to him. Well… let's see how he'd react to this kind of news coming from either of us.

What managed to render both of us completely speechless was the fact that he'd… they'd managed to hide something of this magnitude from all of us. I mean, we were freaking werewolves! We freaking shared the same brain space!! Moreover, she was my goddamn beta… he, my best friend, business partner… roommate! How in the freaking hell had they managed to accomplish this feat? And how many more secrets were they hiding? Were they secretly married or something? Did they have a family that we were unaware of?

Our thoughts must have been obvious to read because Embry suddenly burst out laughing.

"Relax guys. Don't start freaking out on me. Believe me, this is no conspiracy or anything. I wanted to tell you, believe me, I did. In fact, I wanted to shout it out from the rooftops, still do." Here, his expression tightened. "But you know how stubborn Leah can be. She was hell bent to hide this from everyone. It killed me every time we had to sneak around and meet up in secret… it killed me to keep my best friends in the dark but she forced me to go along with it. In fact, she ordered me to do it. With her being the beta, I kinda had no choice in the matter once she did." He looked at us sheepishly, almost begging for our understanding.

"Alright, alright… we understand. But what about her? How come she didn't think about this? Nobody forced her, right?" I could have punched Quil for bringing that up. As expected, Embry's face fell slightly.

"I dunno man. Maybe she doesn't feel about me the way I feel about her. Maybe she doesn't love me in the same way. Maybe she doesn't think of me every single minute of every single day. Maybe it's easier for her to not think about me… maybe she doesn't have to force herself to think of something else besides us…besides me…" His voice trailed off uncertainly.

"I'm sure that's not true. I'm sure she loves you as much as… or more than you love her. I'm sure she's in the same place as you are. And I'm sure she has to put in a lot of effort to control her thoughts around us so that she doesn't slip up and reveal it all." I used my most soothing tone, hoping to put his mind a little at ease.

I also, hoped to hell I wasn't simply lying to Embry… that Leah _did_ feel about him at least half as strongly as he seemed to feel for her…

"But… but… what about Jeremy…?" Quil just _had_ to ask. I was _definitely_ going to punch him now.

All my previous efforts were washed away in a tidal wave of uncertainty. I could almost _feel _Embry's heart sinking to his toes. His face was a study in hopelessness. "I… I… I have no idea what that's all about. In fact, I had no idea he even existed till the day of Kim and Jared's party. She… she… she's dating someone else…" it almost felt as if this was just sinking in for him, just now. The disbelief in his voice rang out very clearly. "What the hell is she doing dating someone else?!? Oh God, she doesn't love me, does she?"

"Hey, hey, hey… listen to me man. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this whole mess." Although I have no clue in hell what it could be. "I'm sure once this whole situation with Bella has settled down, she'll tell you and you'll sort it all out, right?" I, myself, had no such confidence but for Embry's sake, I hoped I sounded convincing.

"Yeah" He sounded far from convinced himself. "Yeah, you're right." Now there was a little more conviction in his voice. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for all this and of course, Leah will tell me all about it once everything settles down."

"Good… that's the spirit!" I was relieved that for the time being at least, things were under control.

"So…. Give us the details man!" Quil just couldn't shut up, could he?

I gave Embry a cautious look, hoping against hope that I wouldn't have to begin the boosting up process all over again and I was thankful when he didn't appear broken or anything. In fact, there was a smirk on his face that didn't bode well for our peace of mind at all.

"She's a goddess man! She's a fucking goddess!" Oh man, I was right! "She insatiable and she's so inquisitive and willing to try _anything_! She freaking got stamina man… she can go on for hours at a time and she's got the most amazing tongue I've ever come across!!"

Okay I'm not a teenager and definitely not a girl but can I just say Ewww!! I would never be able to look at Leah in quiet the same way ever again. Quil's expression revealed the same fascinated horror I myself was feeling at the moment.

"Uh… er… good for you dude. Moving on… how long has this been going on?" Quil shot me a discreet but grateful look. I acknowledged it with a 'you're most welcome' look.

"Well… we first began seeing each other one and a half years ago." He answered a little hesitantly.

"What?!? That long? You've been keeping this a secret that long? Oh jeez… what else have you been hiding from us, huh?"

"Nothing… nothing… Just that, I promise! And as I mentioned before, I didn't want to keep this a secret either."

"Yeah, yeah… But why? I mean, it's great that you guys are together. You're both consenting adults and you like and respect each other, right? Plus, there's no one else in the picture. So what possible reason could you have for wanting to keep this so hush-hush? I'm sure everyone would be really happy for you guys."

"Imprinting."

Ah yes… how could I forget? The big 'I' word. The bane of my existence…

"So what? She's still convinced that it'll happen to her, huh?" I asked sympathetically.

"No. She's afraid it'll happen to me."

Ouch! I could totally understand why Leah wouldn't want to go through that kind of pain and heartbreak one more time.

Dammit, why couldn't life be simpler for us? Why couldn't we just meet someone, date, fall in love, get married or break-up like normal people? As if being supernatural monsters and the guardians of our people wasn't a hard enough fate to have? We had to have some crazy, pre-destined soul mate crap too? And if that had to happen, couldn't there be some rule or law that made it impossible for us to fall in love with anyone other than our pre-destined soul mate? But no… hell no… God had apparently forgotten to include that caveat in the fine print of our contract!

There was nothing I could say or do to make Embry feel better about the situation this time. Heck, I myself had no idea how imprinting worked and had no desire to ever find out. I myself knew that I wouldn't… couldn't… let something stupid such as an imprint control my life… my destiny. I couldn't let something else, something totally beyond my control… decide who I would fall in love with, who I'd spend the rest of my life with. I couldn't ever imagine blindly falling for someone that I hadn't ever met, didn't even know…

It seemed totally barbaric… and completely archaic.

I knew… in my gut, I knew… that if such a thing ever happened to me, that I'd fight it with every single part of me. I'd never, ever relinquish something as crucial as my ability to choose who to love to anyone or anything… even fate.

But that was me. I knew the others didn't share my opinions on the subject. Moreover, I knew that Leah who'd actually gone through the pain of losing someone she loved wholeheartedly due to just that very evil, wouldn't… couldn't dismiss it as casually as I did.

And this made Embry's position very precarious indeed. Poor Leah… poor Embry. They both deserved every happiness in the world. I couldn't believe that something so crappy… so stupid was standing in the way of something so beautiful.

I gave Embry a supportive thump on the back. "You'll work things out. I know you will. And I'm sure Leah will also come around eventually."

"Yeah… yeah" Embry scrubbed his hands over his face tiredly.

Alright… time to wrap this up…

"In the mean time, I'm…we're…" I included Quil in on the statement because I knew he'd agree with me wholeheartedly "… both here for you. Anytime you need us. Even if you just want to talk… we're here." Quil nodded emphatically. "Now let's go get ourselves a beer. What say, guys?"

"Sure. Sounds great! Let's go."

We decided to head into town, just the three of us for some 'guy-time'. As we were getting into the car, Quil asked, "So, Jake, how is Bella doing? I'm sure talking about her marriage and the loss of her kid must've been pretty harsh on her, right? Is she doing alright?"

"Yeah, I was just about to ask you the same thing Jake."

The earnest expressions on both their faces only made the sick guilty feeling stronger.

"Uh… uhh… I'm sure she's doing fine…"

"Jake, tell me you've spoken to her since this happened." Embry asked with barely concealed impatience. For a moment I got the feeling that he was the alpha and I the hapless pack member, in line for the dressing down of a lifetime.

"Sure, sure. Of course I spoke to her. Just not face to face…" I trailed off nervously.

"Goddammit Jacob!"

"What the hell, Jake? What the fuck were you thinking?"

They both shouted simultaneously, making me wince.

"I can't call her. I… I… I actually felt relieved that she was alive! What kind of a friend does that make me?!? I'll tell you what kind. The worst kind that's what! In fact, I'm as bad as the fucking leech! Me… the big bad alpha of a pack of vampire slaying werewolves… the one who always kept preaching to her about how I was safer, and better and healthier for her… that person can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards a fucking vampire because he saved Bella's life! And how did he do that? By drugging her and killing her unborn child!! And that's what I am grateful for!! God, I feel sick! I feel dirty… disgusting!! I hate myself! I've never hated myself more! I can't face her… I just can't! I can't look into her eyes and honestly tell her that I'm sorry that she's alive. I can't tell her that I hate the leech for what he did to her, because I don't. I'm a terrible, horrible person and an even worse friend. She's better off without me in her life, trust me…" The whole, sordid story just came spilling out of me. I was terrified to meet their eyes, ashamed… afraid of what I'd see in theirs.

Condemnation? Anger? Disgust?

What I saw when I finally managed to work up the courage to meet their eyes surprised the hell out of me. Understanding…

"What you're feeling…? It's natural… You love her; of course you're happy that she's alive!" Embry assured me. "Feeling relieved that she's alive doesn't make you a monster. It just makes you human. Alright, fine… you think you're as bad as the leech, right? If that's the case, just answer this question for me. Imagine that you're in such a situation and Bella's life is in danger. You'd try and convince her, get her to change her mind, try to make her see sense, right? But would you take her choice away, drug her and force her to do something that is so against her wishes? If you ask me my opinion, I'd have to say never. Never ever would you do something so terrible and I don't even have to stop and think to know that I'm one hundred percent right. I've known you all my life Jake. Even before destiny conspired to turn us into brothers, you were always mine. You were my support system, my best friend… I trust you more than life itself. Moreover, I know you more than I know myself; I always did… even when I couldn't read your thoughts. Thus, I know… down to a certainty… that you would never ever do to anyone, what the leech did to Bella. Trust me on this. Now stop being so dramatic and just call her already."

"You think?" Though Embry's pep-talk had made me feels loads better; I couldn't completely eliminate the thread of insecurity and fear that crept through in my voice.

"Of course I think, you idiot! Sometimes I can't believe you're the damn alpha! Now call her right this minute." Quil was nodding vigorously, obviously trying to convey he agreed with Embry.

I hesitantly dialed Bella's number and fidgeted around as I waited for the call to go through.

"Jake?" Her soft voice, breathless with expectation and pleasure, robbed me of the capability to speak for a couple if seconds. "Jake? Jake?? You there?" A swat on the back of the head by Quil brought me out of my momentary haze.

"Hey Bells" What was it about talking to Bella that made my voice go all soft and tender? "How've you been? What're you up to?"

"Hi. I…uh… I've been good. As far as what I've been up to, you know… I've just been up to the usual stuff. Checking up on Charlie, hanging out with Dylan and Lisa and of course Alice and Jasper, helping out Renee…like I said, usual stuff. And trying to get in touch with you… unsuccessfully, I might add."

"Yeah… uh… sorry about that… I was, uh, busy." Even I couldn't help but wince at my patently false attempts at lying. "Anyway, how've you been, I mean really?"

"I'm fine, Jake… really. Don't worry about me. You know, the funny thing about life is that it throws all these obstacles and problems at you and once you deal with all the crap, you find out that you're not the same, old fragile person anymore. You're stronger. It may be totally cliché but its true – What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I've already lived through the worst life had to throw at me and I survived it. Anything else that comes along… I can deal with it!" The strength that she claimed to have may not be obvious in her physique but it was clearly reflected in her voice. I'd never been prouder of her than I was that moment. My smile was so big, my cheeks felt like they were in danger of cracking.

"So, what're you up to right now?" I asked, suddenly beyond eager to see her.

"Oh nothing much… Lee, Dylan and I were just playing poker. Well, Lisa and I are playing. Dylan is cheating, as usual."

The other end of the line was suddenly filled with a husky chuckle. "Alright, let's go over the rules one more time. This is poker. You're supposed to _cheat_. And by the way, it's called bluffing not cheating! And yes, it _is_ officially allowed in the rules of the game. Do I make myself clear, girls?"

I didn't even realize that my jaw had automatically clenched as soon as I heard that prick's voice.

Whatever the bastard was doing right now sent Bella off into shrieks of laughter. "No! NO!! Dylan, stop that! Stop it!!" The laughter just escalated till she was breathless with it. "Don't… alright, alright… I give up! Uncle! Uncle!!"

"That's better. Now admit I'm the best. Say it. Say – Dylan you're the best."

"Alright, alright Dylan you're the best" Bella still sounded short of breath.

"Good, good. And say that you love me. Go on… say it."

Goddammit! My eyes were narrowed into murderous slits and my hands itched to wrap themselves around the bastards neck and squeeze tight…

"Alright, alright… fine! I love you! There, happy?" I wasn't!

"And give me a kiss…"

"Dylan… You're taking this a little too far…" Bella warned. Oh that was the understatement of the year. The little prick was testing my patience and contributing to the shortening of his own life-expectancy. And the worst part of it was, I strongly suspected that this was all for my benefit. The bastard knew that I was on the line and was doing this on purpose to make me mad. And I was sorry to say this but he was succeeding… brilliantly. I could only imagine what he was doing right now… his hands on Bella's perfect little body and even the thought was enough to slowly drive me insane!

But he wasn't done… not by a long shot. "So, I'm taking it too far, huh? Alright, if you think so…"

Before I could even let out a sigh of relief, Bella went off into gales of laughter once again.

Shit! The little fucker was sooooo dead!

"Oh God, stop! Fine, you win… I give up. Come here you moron." And then, I heard the sound of a loud, smacking kiss and my heart sank to the ground. I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle the bastard. How dare he?!?

The ugly feeling twisting my gut at that moment felt like nothing I'd ever felt before. All I knew was that if that prick had been within reach of me at this very instant… that I'd have crushed him like a bug… the whole savior of humanity thing be damned.

Alright that's it! This whole stupid jealousy-competition-whose closer to Bella thing between me and 'I'm the best friend – Dylan O'Connor' had gone on far enough. This had to stop, once and for all… before I lost my freaking mind!

"Bells, uh… I'd really like to see you. Would you mind terribly if I came over?" It was really, really late for heaven's sake! She was going to think I had gone out of my freaking mind.

"Now? You want to come over now?" Oh yeah… she's definitely thinking that I've lost it. Great… just freaking perfect! "Uh… sure… I guess"

"Way to sound enthusiastic, Bells." I tried to make it into a joke hoping to salvage some of my tattered dignity.

"Sorry!" I could almost imagine her blushing; her tone completely gave it away. "Of course you can come over Jake. You're always welcome to come over any time you want. There… is that better?"

I couldn't keep the happy smile off my face. "Yeah… loads. See you in a little while Bells."

I turned on the ignition and spared a quick glance towards Embry and Quil. "There's been a change of plans, boys! The beers will have to wait. Sorry." I didn't sound repentant at all… in fact I sounded elated and I wasn't even sorry for _that_. Oh well… they were big boys, they'd get over it.

I pulled up in Charlie's driveway in a matter of 10 minutes by breaking every speed limit on the way. Thankfully, the roads were deserted and devoid of cops. Not that I'd have cared even if it hadn't been the case, but it was just easier this way.

I eagerly bounded out of the car and jogged up the steps towards the front door. I didn't even have to knock on it before it was being pulled open by a slightly out of breath Bella.

'_She ran over to get the door…'_

My heart melted.

I must have smiled at her… because she smiled back – a slow, sweet smile – and my heart did a slow somersault in my chest.

She was all dressed for bed in her faded PJ's and an old Henley; her face scrubbed clean of make-up and her hair falling down her back in a straight sheath… she was adorable and beautiful and gorgeous and perfect and oh God, would it be too sick of me to mention that I wanted to run my tongue over every inch of her naked body?

Embry and Quil must have sensed my total lack of coherent thought and took pity on me. They cleared their throats loudly, breaking whatever spell Bella and I'd been under.

"Hi" I said stupidly.

"Hi" She replied, turning to encompass all three of us in her smile. "Embry, I didn't get an opportunity to thank you for getting Jake off of his ass the other day and saving me from Leah's wrath." She took his hand in hers and gave it a warm squeeze. "I think you probably saved my life that day. Thanks a lot!" She gave him a dazzling smile. "If you ever need me to return the favor, just give me a shout."

Instead of answering her verbally, he simply pulled her into his arms, trying to express without words his sorrow, his support and his admiration for the hell she'd gone through and survived. The silence that followed was fraught with meaning and I could see that Bella was fighting very hard to control her emotions.

Fortunately, Quil stepped in to save the day. "Hey Em, do you plan on ever letting go of Bella? Because, you know, I've kinda been here, standing in line to receive one of her famous hugs too you know." That broke the tension and Bella pulled out of Embry's arms laughingly and minus all evidence of tears.

She'd barely uttered the words, "Come here you big dolt" before she was off the floor and into Quil's arms. He spun her around a few times till she was smiling broadly before setting her back down.

Alright, I'll admit it. I was feeling more than a little left out. Before I could take any steps to rectify that situation, she turned to Embry again and said in a fake incredulous voice, "So, you and Leah huh? How in the world did that happen?"

Embry, Quil and I… we all shared a glance… like we were in on a private joke (which we kind of were) before we burst out laughing.

"What? What??" Her disgruntled queries only made the laughter come harder.

Finally she gave up trying to decipher our behavior. "Alright you crazies, come on in." She began to lead us towards the kitchen. "You want to join our incredibly one-sided game of cheater versus two innocent's poker?" She called over her shoulder laughingly.

Poker… Dylan… right.

"Uh Bells, do you think you and I can maybe go for a drive or something? I'd really like to talk to you if you don't mind."

She gave me a look that clearly indicated that she wasn't sure if I was totally sane but didn't make any comment otherwise. "Yeah, sure. Let me just go change."

"No" I really hadn't meant to say that so loudly or so forcefully but there it was. I made a conscious effort to temper my tone and volume. "I mean, you don't have to. We won't go too far or anything. And it's too dark outside for anyone to see you. Just bring a jacket along. You might find the night air just a little too cool for your liking."

"Alright, if you're sure." She snatched up a random jacket from the coat closet while calling out to her friends simultaneously, "Lee, Dylan… I'm going out for a drive with Jake. Be back in some time. Don't wait up for me. Oh and I'm giving you two additional players as replacements, so your game won't get ruined." She aimed pleading glances at Embry and Quil, mouthing 'Please'. Not that they'd have refused her even without the please. I could definitely recognize signs of adoration when I saw them. My friends were completely, totally, undeniably 'in adoration' with Bella Swan. They'd have pretty much done anything for her that she'd asked them to. Yeah… she tended to have that effect on people, dammit!

"Sure, no problem. We'll stick around for a while, right Em?" Oh yeah, Quil was a goner, the idiot.

"Yup. Don't worry about us. We love poker. You guys have fun." Embry was apparently no better. Jeez… this was going to get Leah mad as hell – God save us all.

Embry and Quil actually stood around, watching us and waving at us till I pulled the door closed behind us. Jesus… they were giving me the creeps… forcibly reminding me of prom and overeager parents. Jesus!

I made quick work of bundling her up into the car before making my way towards the driver's side. As soon as I pulled out of the driveway, she turned towards me.

"Alright, tell me what's wrong."

"Jeez… paranoid much? Nothing's wrong Bells, trust me. I just wanted to spend some time alone with my best friend. Is that so wrong?"

"Well… no… not usually. But you can't deny that it seems a little suspicious… especially since it's past 11 pm on a weekday and the best friend in question has spent the last three days trying every trick in the book to avoid spending even one moment alone with me."

Damn… she'd noticed that, huh?

"Yeah, uh… about that… I'm sorry. I really am."

"Well… it seems like all we've been doing since we met each other again is apologizing for something or the other and frankly, I'm kinda getting sick of it, wouldn't you agree? Jake, we used to be best friends. I'd like to think we still are… or at least, we could be once again." I nodded silently in agreement. "Then why the hell are we being so freaking formal with each other? Let's just get past the 'I'm sorry's' and 'Thank You's' and just be Jake and Bells again. Can we please do that?"

She was totally right.

"Sure, sure" I used my old, patented phrase on purpose. She gave me a huge smile, indicating that she'd got the message.

"Now tell me what this whole 'want-to-spend-time-with-you drive thing' is all about."

Right. Gulp. Deep fortifying breath.

"What's going on with you and this Dylan guy?"

"What?" She seemed somewhat surprised.

"Well… you and this dude appear to be really close to each other. And he's always got his hands on you one way or another. Like, he's always holding your hand, tickling you, dancing with his hands all over you… he's always freaking touching in some way that just drives me insane! Just put me out of my misery here Bells. If there's something going on with you and this guy, tell me so. Tell me that you want me to just be your friend and I'll live with it, somehow. But don't kiss me the way you did at the bonfire and melt in my arms and then hug me like you mean it and snuggle with me in my bed and then go out and be all touchy feely with another guy. It's… it's killing me. I don't know how much longer I can go without breaking something… or someone in half… preferably your little boy toy!"

Shit… I didn't mean this conversation to get so out of hand. I sounded like a freak for heaven's sake… and a desperate one at that.

Her reaction was totally not what I expected it to be. I'd expected that she'd throw herself out of the car and run screaming all the way back home. Instead, she glanced at me somberly for a couple of minutes and then dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"What the hell is so funny?" Despite my best effort, I couldn't keep the frustration from coming through in my voice.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. I can't believe this. I can't believe I've… we've both been such idiots! I thought that you were avoiding me for the last three days because you didn't like me… because what I told you was too much for you to handle. I thought that you didn't want to see me anymore. Well imagine my surprise now that I've discovered that you do… you like me. You do, right?" She looked at me uncertainly.

"Yeah, I do." More than I should… but what's new about that?

"I still don't know why you've been so distant the past few days but frankly, I don't care. Pull over Jake."

"What?" Shit! This didn't look good. Was she upset? Did she want to leave the car or something? Oh God, she _was_ upset. "Listen Bells, you don't have to do this. You don't have to leave the car. I'm sorry if I upset you or something. If you don't want me to have feelings for you, I understand. Please, don't be upset. Just… please… if you want to go home, I'll drive you, alright? Don't leave the car, honey. It's not safe." I was almost pleading.

She had a calm, composed look on her face but if I'd bothered to look a little deeper, I'd have also seen the twinkle in her eyes. Unfortunately, I was too busy freaking out.

"Just pull over. Right now." Still calm… too calm.

"Alright, alright. Bells, honey… talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Oh nothing… I just don't think it's safe for me to kiss you while you're driving" She laughed out loud. "At least not the way I want to. After all, I don't want us to get in an accident or anything."

Holy… Yes! Yes! _Yes!!_

I abruptly pulled over to the side of the road, not even caring to check if there were any vehicles behind me. Thankfully… there weren't…

As soon as I turned off the ignition, she reached over and touched my hair… and I almost lost the last coherent thought in my mind… almost, but not quite.

"Wait, wait…" Shit, I'm an idiot. I'm actually stopping Bella Swan from kissing me… when she'd indicated that she wanted to. I must be freaking nuts! But, God… I had to know. "You never answered my question about Dylan." I held my breath, half fearful of what her answer might be.

"Oh Jake, you gigantic idiot… he's my friend. Just my friend." I must've had a totally disbelieving look on my face because she went on without pause, "Alright, I'll admit, we're closer than most friends are. But it's nothing romantic, trust me. And before you ask how I can be so sure of it… we tried it, okay? We dated for a while when we first met. Then, we realized that we're better off as friends… and it was a mutual decision. I just… I tried to make him into another you, alright? I tried to make him into this 'bestest friend who understood me without me ever saying anything and was there for me through thick and thin' thing but it didn't work. No one can be you Jake, I realized that soon enough. But…we _are_ close. He _is_ one of my closest friends and he is very over-protective. So, I guess you have that in common. As far as the touchy feely thing goes, that's his thing. He's a very physical person… but… he's been laying it on a little thick for your benefit. The dork's been overdoing it, trying to get a reaction out of you. I told him it was going to backfire on him big time but he didn't listen. He thinks he's all macho and stuff and that he can totally take you on."

She wasn't dating him… she was single… she was available… she was trying to make him into _ME_. The relief was overwhelming.

I reached over and unsnapped her seatbelt, pulling her into my arms almost desperately. I tipped her chin up till she was looking right into my eyes. The look in hers made my heart rate triple. God that mouth… I'd been dying for another taste of that mouth since the night of the bonfire. I'd had wet dreams centered _just_ on that mouth.

"As if! I would totally crush him… you know that, right?" I asked her softly…teasingly.

"I know" She answered without hesitation. The utter conviction in her voice was humbling.

"So, since this moron isn't your boyfriend or anything, would it be alright if I punched him just once?" I was only half teasing now. I would love to pay him back just a little bit for all the anguish he'd put me through.

"Absolutely not! I forbid it. Promise me you won't hurt him in any way, Jake. You could really hurt him, you know? After all he isn't a superhuman like you are."

"Alright, alright… I was just kidding. No violence, I promise. But you have to get him to keep his hands off you. If he touches you in that familiar way one more time, God help me… all bets are off." I hope she took me seriously… because I was dead serious about this.

Before I could say anything else to reinforce the warning, she placed her finger on my lips… totally screwing with my thought process.

"Jake?"

"Huh?" I wasn't capable of saying anything else.

"Just shut up and kiss me, will you?"

Yeah… I could certainly do that.

And I did. Or maybe she kissed me. Who the hell knew…?

The moment my lips touched hers, it was as if the rest of the world just ceased to exist. It was just me and Bella and this… this indescribable, incredible _need_ for each other.

I couldn't stop touching her – her face, her neck, her arms… I couldn't get enough of her smooth, soft skin. She was fumbling against her seat, trying to align her body against mine in a way that guaranteed maximum contact. When she managed to finally sit up in her seat, she was still too far away from me for my liking.

Fuck it! I fumbled for me seat adjustment switch, pushing back at the same time so that I was as far away from the steering wheel as the laws of physics and mechanics allowed. Then I reached for her blindly, picking her up and pulling her over to my side of the car… settling her down on my lap. At no point in this complicated process did I stop kissing her, even for a second.

She immediately squirmed closer, pushing her breasts against my chest, sliding against my thighs in a way that made both of us groan out loud in a combination of satisfaction and greed.

God… she felt soooo good in my arms… like she belonged there. I could've gone on just holding her forever.

But she apparently had other ideas. For some reason, she thought that it would be fun to play a game of 'let's drive Jake crazy'…

Apparently, Bella thought we weren't close enough. She began squirming around some more on my lap, trying to get her legs positioned in such a way that they were wrapped around me. Her movements brought her crotch in intimate contact with my throbbing cock.

My whole body felt electrified. All I could do was let out a desperate moan, grab on to handfuls of her hair and hold on for dear life.

I pulled myself away from her lips reluctantly. "God, Bells… I _need_ to touch you! Can I please touch you… please?" I begged in a husky whisper.

Instead of answering verbally, she quickly unzipped her jacket and shrugged out of it awkwardly while simultaneously grabbing my hand and guiding it to her left breast. Instinctively – because I had no coherent thought left in my brain by this time – I curved my hand around it… cupping and squeezing it.

Bella shivered and arched into me. "Jake," she moaned against my hungry lips, "More… I need more. _Please_"

I obliged her desperate request by hitching her upwards so that her chest was at eye level. I hastily tugged her t-shirt down and off her shoulder till her breast popped out of it, unfettered and free. I leaned forward and immediately captured it with my mouth, moaning as the sweet, sweet taste of her exploded on my tongue. "Bells," I groaned as my mouth, my tongue, my teeth suckled her nipple, laved it and nipped at it alternately, "God, you're sweet…"

She sobbed my name, tugging at my shirt, desperate to touch me as I was touching her. I pulled away from her slightly, only to pull off my shirt and toss it over to the side before I happily went back to what I was doing.

She ran her hands down my bare chest, tracing my muscles with her fingertips, flicking my nipples with her nails. I groaned out loud.

Shit… I needed more. I needed all of it… I needed _her_.

My whole length was throbbing for the feel of her. I was so hard… I don't remember being this hard and hot and delirious for anyone before in my life.

I almost lost my head completely and reached between us to tug on the knot of her PJ's before I came to my senses and realized that we were out in the open, on an open road in the middle of town and that at any moment there was a chance that someone would come on by and discover us. _Fuck_!

"Bells… wait. Stop. Bella… we have to stop honey."

"What?" She sounded completely muddled. "Why are we stopping?" She went back to touching me and I had to literally grab a hold of her hands before she made me lose my control completely. "Did I do something wrong?" The immediate insecurity in her voice made me curse out loud. This incredible, feisty woman had the capability to single-handedly turn me inside out and I could not believe that she was insecure about her performance. What, did she not feel what she did to me?

"Bella… shhh…" I guided her hand between us till it was encircling the hard, throbbing length of me through my pants. The feel on her hand on my engorged cock felt so fucking good that I had to breathe through my mouth and recite the State capitals in alphabetical order in my head in an effort to not lose it completely. Needless to mention, I lost my train of thought completely… especially when she squeezed me experimentally. "Bella!" I groaned. "You have to stop doing that honey… I'm trying to do the right thing here and that… you… are definitely not helping!"

"Oh…" She blushed a bright red when I hardened further in direct response to her fondling. "Sorry. Didn't mean to make things…um… you know… harder" Yeah right! Such a tease… God she was killing me! She squeezed me one more time before reluctantly letting me go. "So, uh… why exactly are we stopping?" She had an adorably confused look on her face – a look that made her look totally innocent – an innocence that was totally belied when she teasingly sucked on my earlobe. God help me!

"Uh… er… why _are_ we stopping? Oh, yeah… cuz' we're in my car in the middle of the road maybe?" I stuttered out.

"Oh… that…" She scoffed. "I don't care about that, do you?"

What? What?!? Had I gone off to sleep without knowing it and woken up in wet dream central? What was the question she asked me by the way, oh yeah – Did I care about it?!? Yeah… right!

But wait… I actually… ironically… did. Dammit!

While I was trying to figure that out, Bella had gone back to placing open mouthed kissed down the side of my neck… which was seriously distracting…

"Bella… Bells… wait, dammit! You really, really have to stop doing that…"

"What?" She actually, seriously pouted. "Don't you want this? Don't you want me?"

I laughed disbelievingly. "Yeah, I don't think you even need me to answer that question. Does it really feel like I don't want you?"

"Then what's the problem!?!" She asked… sounding just a tad bit impatient.

Oh God… this woman was going to be the death of me.

"Bells, honey," I tried to inject a large amount of patience in my voice "The problem is that I don't want our first time to be like this… not that there's anything wrong with this. But it would be quick and hurried and over way too soon. I want you in bed with me… naked and I want to take my time with you. God, I've waited forever to be with you and I'm not going to let it turn into some quick, fumbling thing in the tiny confines of my car. When, I have you… and trust me when I say that I _will_ have you… I want it to be at a time of my choosing and at my leisure and I want you to be as wild with passion for me as I am for you. I want to make love with you again and again and again till neither of us can move. And then when we are both completely tired out, I want to fall asleep with your naked body in my arms. And then I want to wake up in the middle of the night and fuck you crazy. And _that_ is why we're not doing this, not now… no matter how much we want it. Alright?"

She had a dazed look in eyes but she nodded nonetheless. I carefully untangled her from me and gently lifted and deposited her on her seat. I decisively fastened her seat belt, hoping against hope that it'd hold her back in case she changed her mind about waiting. I didn't think I had it in me to be noble one more time and hence I needed to get her home as soon as I possibly could.

I drove like crazy person… and it was a testament to how dazed Bella was that she didn't reprimand me about it.

Once I'd pulled into Charlie's driveway and shut off the engine, I turned to look at her and noticed that she had the 'just been ravished' look on her face. I groaned helplessly before leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Go out with me." I blurted out of the blue.

"Huh? What?" Apparently she still hadn't regained her mental capacity yet.

"Go out with me." I repeated myself, smiling softly.

"Go out, like on a date?" She asked, still looking adorably lost.

"Yup. You almost ravaged me in my own car. After that, I figure I'm entitled to at least one dinner, right?" I loved teasing her… seeing her blush. She really was gorgeous when she did.

"Alright. I'll go out with you. But no more teasing please…"

"Aw Bells, you're no fun!" I protested laughingly. "Alright fine… no more teasing… for now."

She smiled sweetly at me. "So when's this big date supposed to be?"

"How about Friday night, huh?"

"Yeah… that works for me."

I felt a wild surge of elation.

Bella and I were finally going out on a date. After waiting what felt like a lifetime for her… she'd finally agreed to go out with me! Life was good… no actually, life was great!

**A/N: - You know the drill people… hit the button and leave a review. Come on, if I take the effort to write the chapter, you can at least take the effort to tell me what you think about it, right? Also, your reviews inspire me to write better and faster. So how soon the next chapter's posted is really up to you. Isn't that incentive enough to review? :P**

**As usual, a huge thank you to my amazingly wonderful betas Cheryl and Ashley. I can never thank them enough for their suggestions and inputs. Trust me, this story wouldn't even be half what it is if it weren't for them. They are both the most wonderful betas a gal could ask for… but they're even better friends. Thank you Cheryl. Thank you Ashley. Love you both.**

**Please, please do read and review Ashley's stories which are published under the name augustblack. She's an incredibly talented author and all of her stories are wonderfully written. Trust me; they'll definitely be worth your time. **


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Disclaimer: - If I really owned any of the characters, would I let Bella have Jacob? Wouldn't I rather keep him for myself? Which obviously means that I don't own any of them, right? *Sigh* **

**I just wanted to say sorry for the lateness, folks. :P I really intended to have this out sooner but what can I say? Stupid life… got in the way!! Hehe… **

**I also had the worst writing block ever; had to make some decisions as to where I wanted Unforgettable to go. You'll see what my evil brain came up with soon enough. I'm telling you… this was not what I'd planned to do when I sat down to write this chapter. But sometimes you just have to follow the muse wherever it takes you, right? **

**Anyway, I have to give you fair warning… the last part of the chapter gets fairly gory. If you're a squeamish person, you might want to skip the end. But, unfortunately, the gory part is kinda important to the rest of the story. Sorry. 80% of it is still fluffy and cute though. So you can read that part. It's only after Jake leaves after dropping Bella back home from their date that things get a little wonky. So, you've been warned. Don't go blaming me later.**

**Another important announcement… Ashley, my beta, and I've written a one-shot for the Sort Of Beautiful challenge on FF called 'Take my Breath Away…' It's an all human J/B fic and it's rather hot and steamy if I do say so myself. Please check it out. **

**Here's the link: - http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5392066/1/Take_My_Breath_Away**

**And don't just read it and add it among your favorites…. Review, people!! How else will I know what you **_**really**_** think about it, huh? Also, if I'm not mistaken, the voting for the contest being on 1****st**** Oct and goes on till the 12****th**** Oct. Please don't forget to log in your vote… if not for TMBA then for whichever is your fav fic. Thank you. **

**Now… on to chapter 18…**

BPOV

"Oh God, I'm going to be sick!" I moaned helplessly clutching my desperately roiling stomach.

"What?!? No you're not! Alice, tell this chick that she isn't getting sick and ruining all the hours of hard work we put into getting her to look – how did you put it – 'not made up at all… effortlessly, naturally gorgeous'." Lisa called out to the fashion Nazi who charged in the room like a crazed bull.

"Sick!?! Don't you _dare_ get sick now, Isabella Swan! Not when I just spent all this time getting you to look absolutely perfect! Jasper, get your gorgeous ass in here and help Bella to calm down, right now! I won't be responsible for my actions if she ruins either the dress or the make-up." Her pose was a classic, 'hands on the hips don't mess with me' one.

"Ma'am yes ma'am! Jasper Hale reporting to duty. What seems to be the problem here?" Jasper looked like he was only half kidding. And I didn't blame him one bit. Crazy Alice was scary as hell! He was smart to be worried about appeasing her as soon as possible.

But hey, I had enough problems of my own and they involved sheer, utter panic at the thought of going on a date with Jacob Black.

"I have to admit to being utterly confused. Bella… honey… just a while back, you were so excited about this. You went dress shopping with Alice for heaven's sake… you, the girl who hates shopping with a vengeance. You asked Alice and me to help you dress up. Heck, not some time ago, you were flitting around excitedly. So what in the hell has changed in the last half an hour?"

"Oh nothing… except… I just realized that I agreed to go out with Jake. Jacob. _Jacob Black. On a date._ What the hell was I thinking? Oh God, I have to puke!" I almost ran to the bathroom only to have Alice and Lisa block my way.

"Calm down Bella. Take a deep breath. In and out… and in and out. Just like we do during meditation, remember?" Lisa was thankfully far more tolerant and understanding of my nervousness than Alice who was mostly only worried about me ruining her perfect vision of me! "Tell me what's wrong."

"Why did I ever agree to go out with Jake?" I wailed agonizingly.

"I don't understand Bella. I thought you said you _liked_ this guy!" Ah… Lisa was running out of patience too. I could hear it in the thread of irritation in her voice.

"I do!! Too much. And that's the problem!" My voice was getting shriller by the minute. Oh, great, just what I needed at this point of time – a panic attack. At this rate, soon only Alice and Jasper would be able to hear me as I was fast approaching supersonic auditory levels. I took Lisa's advice and took a few consciously deep breaths.

"Honestly, even if I live to be a thousand years old, I will never, ever understand women!" Dylan chipped in with his two cents worth of utter typically, male drivel.

Jasper, the traitor gave him an 'I feel for you dude' look which was confusing to say the least. Since when had Dylan and Jasper become friends? Apparently I was missing some vital piece of information here…

'_Not now Bella. You need to focus on the impending crisis first!'_ Oh God, yes… the date with Jake. What the hell had I been thinking… seriously…?

Dylan was still waiting for my reply – to his rhetorical, typically, predictably male statement – with a mildly disgusted, slightly irritated look on his face. When he realized that there was no forthcoming reply in the near future, he let out an irritated huff. "You do know that the statement you just made – about how you don't want to go out with this Jake guy because you like him too much – didn't make any sense, right? I'd really like to know what connection there is between liking a guy and not wanting to go out with him. I mean seriously…that is the single, most twisted piece of logic I've ever heard. Shouldn't liking a guy make you _want_ to go out with him? Do all girls think this way? No wonder we poor blokes are completely out of our depth when it comes to you then… Come on, hit me with it… For once, let's hear it from the horse's mouth. Maybe that'll help me understand woman better."

"Shut up Dylan." Lisa and Alice yelled out together in a way that appeared to first shock him and then confuse him.

"What?!?" His frustration came through loud and clear. "Nuts… the entire lot of them…" He muttered under his breath.

"You're not helping!" Lisa hissed back at him. "You're only freaking her out even more. Just… for once… just, _please_ keep your bloody mouth shut!"

"What did I do?" He still appeared totally lost. "Man, girls are just plain weird! Honestly, I was just trying to get a better understanding of the situation. Since when is that such a crime?"

"Dylan, do you _really_ want to mess with me right now?"Even Lisa's endless supply of patience; it seemed; was running on a dangerously low level right about now. Dylan fortunately recognized the fact and hastily backed off.

That obstacle out of the way, Lisa was unfortunately free to focus all her frustration and irritation on me. "Bella, talk to me… _and_ do so before I go mad. Tell me what's wrong, right now! Or I swear, my brain's going to explode." Her agitation only seemed to be getting worse by the minute.

'_Oh brother…'_

"Alright here goes. Don't laugh, okay? I haven't been on a date in three years! The last person that I went out with was you, Dylan and that was more of a friend situation than anything else – as you both well know. Now where Jake's concerned, things have never been that simple. He's… I don't know how to explain this… but he's different. Yes, he's my best friend. But he's also so much more than that. He always has been. And I'm terrified that I'll totally mess this up. Heck, I don't even know if dating is the same now-a-days. For all I know, things are done differently these days then they were back then. How the freaking hell do I know if I'm doing something right or if I'm screwing it up terribly? I don't want to screw things between us completely by doing something that I'm not supposed to be doing. God Lord, what could I have been thinking?!?"

Thankfully, Alice and Lisa seemed to understand my predicament… especially if their sympathetic glances and encouraging smiles were any indication.

"You do know about the mind sex that's the latest in-thing recently, right?" Dylan inquired with a straight face and got swatted on the head for his efforts. "Hey!"

"_Not now Dylan!_ God, sometimes you have zero common sense and absolutely no sense of timing, do you?" Lisa's patience was definitely running short… especially where Dylan was concerned… which was pretty much a regular occurrence.

Seeing that she had shut him up for now, she turned her attention back to me. "Alright, first of all, there's been no major change in dating customs in the last three years. It's still the same you know… do stuff together – the stuff might include having dinner, seeing a movie, going dancing, whatever. That's what it was three years ago and that's still what it is."

"And second of all, from what you've told me about you and this guy, nothing you do is going to ruin anything between you two. It seems to me that this guy has been into you in the best possible way for the better part of seven years now. That clearly indicates that even if your date turns out to be disastrous – and that's a _big_ if – this guy isn't going to be turned off by such a small thing. Besides, I dunno what you're worried about – for all accounts and purposes, this guy is already crazy about you. And he's your best friend. You yourself admitted that you guys can talk to each other endlessly. So it's not as if there's gonna be a dearth of conversation points or something like that, right… So, relax babe. You've got nothing to worry about!"

"You're right. I know you're right… At least, logically, I know you're right. But apparently my stomach didn't get the memo. It refuses to settle down!"

"Come on Bella. This is Jacob we're talking about here." Alice added in her opinion.

"Exactly! It is _Jacob_ we're talking about. If it were someone else, I wouldn't be half as worried."

"Oh right. Well… I have a simple solution to that problem then. I'll just call him and tell him to cancel your date tonight so that you can go out with someone else first. I'll even ask him to volunteer someone as a replacement. One of his friends' maybe – just so you can practice. Then once you're a little comfortable with the idea of dating again, you can go out with him… what say?" Dylan was super chirpy about this suggestion.

"No! Don't you dare!!" I yelled immediately.

"Ha! I knew that your nervousness was just a surface thing! Deep down inside, you're dying to go out with this guy, aren't you?" Triumphant Dylan was almost always a pain in the ass. But dammit… he was right. No matter how nervous and on edge I was, I was really, really looking forward to this date.

I let out my breath in a deep huff. "Alright guys, I'm doing better now. This is just a date. No need to freak out."

"That's my girl…" Dylan was quick to cheer.

Lisa and Alice gave each other congratulatory high-fives while Jasper just looked on in satisfaction. I rolled my eyes.

Just then the doorbell chimed, sending me into another tizzy.

"Oh God, that's him! He's here!! Already…? Is he early? Am I late? I'm not ready. I can't do this. Dylan you had the right idea. Go tell him I can't go with him. Tell him I'm sick or something… or that I ran away…"

Jasper performed his mental whammy at the same time that Alice placed her chilly hands on my heated brow. I immediately felt more in control of myself as well as the situation.

"Dylan, go open the door and let Jacob in. And_ be nice_." Alice commanded sternly before turning her attention to me. "Listen to me, Bella. You need to calm down or you're going to make yourself sick. There is no need to be so nervous about this, okay? You're going to do just fine. You're ready, you look beautiful enough to blow his socks off and most importantly, you're a strong, confident, brave woman. Just show him that and you'll be just fine. Now go and have fun sweetheart."

Then in a muted whisper, only for my ears, "I'll try very hard to keep my eyes on you. I don't know if I'll have any luck but in case I see something and you look like you're in need of rescuing, Jas or I will come and bail you out, alright?" She winked. "Or you can always excuse yourself to go to the restroom and make a run for it yourself. As soon as there's some distance between you and the mutt I'll definitely be able to see you. Then I'll come pick you up."

She and I both knew that it wouldn't come to that but I sure did appreciate her for always being on my side. I gave her an extra tight hug, trying to convey my appreciation non-verbally.

Then, I straightened myself up, gave my friends a quick glance, taking in their encouraging smiles, gathered my courage and went downstairs to meet Jake.

One look at him standing in the living room, talking to Dylan with a slightly tolerant-cum-amused glint in his eyes and all the fear I'd been feeling evaporated in an instant.

This was Jacob and he was my best friend… not to mention out-of-this-world gorgeous... _and_ the best kisser in the world! What the heck had I been so panicky about? "Hi…" I said breathlessly.

He turned towards me with his patented grin already in place. The moment his gaze landed on me, however, an arrested look came into his eyes. "Wow, Bells. You look… gorgeous." He exclaimed sounding more than a little short of breath himself.

I blushed. "Thank you Jake."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see all my friends gazing at the two of us indulgently. What a bunch of softies…

In the meantime, Jake and I were still gazing at each other goofily. Okay… so we weren't exactly much better either.

After a few moments, when it looked like neither of us was going to be able to function without outside intervention Dylan decided to take matters into his own hands by not-so-discreetly nudging Jake with his elbow.

Jake looked disoriented for about a minute. "Um… oh yeah… Shall we leave Bells?"

"Sure. Let me just grab a jacket." I replied, making a conscious effort to sound at least somewhat intelligent.

"So, Jacob, you haven't told us where you're taking Bella as yet." Dylan was doing his best to sound commanding.

I bit back a laugh. Was he serious? Jake threw me a glance as if to say, 'Is this guy for real?' Fortunately he kept a tight leash on his mouth.

One look at Lisa revealed her biting back a smile too.

Dylan was just a tad bit overprotective when it came to either me or Lisa. This was his typical MO. He'd try to intimidate all our dates, put them on the spot, made them feel defensive. It was all well and good when the dates in question involved jerks who deserved such terror tactics but where Jake was concerned it was just plain funny.

First of all, Jake wasn't like the other idiots who didn't actually give a damn for us and had no other thought in their heads other than how to get into our pants. And secondly, he was at least thrice Dylan's size and as far as I knew could chew him and spit him out for lunch! But I had to give Dylan points for consistency and bravery. He meant well… always. He just tended to take his self assigned duty too seriously at times.

Jake too, apparently, decided to shrug the interrogation off as a joke. He just aimed a grin in my direction. "You didn't tell me your friends kept you under such close surveillance, Bells." He commented blandly.

"They don't." I assured him. "Dylan's just being… well… Dylan. Excuse his manners Jake."

"Hey!" Dylan protested. "Is that how it's going to be now?" He sounded more than a little put out. I shot Lisa a meaningful look which she was quick to pick up on. She walked over to Dylan's side making appropriate soothing noises. The fact of the matter was that Dylan when it came to such matters, Dylan was a big baby. He tended to take offense at perceived slights very quickly but he got over theme ven faster. I was confident that he'd get over this snit in no time as well. After all, Lisa and I were experts at smoothing his ruffled feathers; having had to do this numerous times over the course of our acquaintance. I shot Lisa a grateful smile, which was met with a rolling of her eyes and a movement of her head which clearly was a signal to get a move on.

I took her advice to heart pulling Jake by his arm, trying to ensure a clean, hasty exit.

Unfortunately, Dylan wasn't quiet done. "Bring her back home before midnight!" He called out behind us.

I turned around incredulously. "Seriously Dylan…? What're you, my father now?" I hoped that my tone was warning enough to tell him that I'd reached my limit. But just in case he didn't get the hint I added, "I'm an adult Dylan. A full-fledged, legal adult. I can choose to stay out as long as I want, with whomever I want. Do I make myself clear?" I glared at him. He had the good sense to lower his eyes and nod mutely. "Good. Now can I leave or are there any more issues we need to iron out?" Again a shake of his head was all the response I got. I grabbed onto Jake's arm and calmly walked out the door.

The moment we were on our way, I turned to him and questioned, "So, where _are_ you taking me, Jake?"

As soon as he looked at me, we both burst out laughing. "Is he always this annoying?" He questioned.

"Hey! That's not fair. Dylan was just looking out for me." I defended my friend adroitly but couldn't quite manage to keep the smile off my face while doing so.

"That means yes, doesn't it?" He asked with a straight face.

"Yes" I burst out laughing again. "Unfortunately he tends to take it too far sometimes. You didn't mind too much, did you Jake?" I asked anxiously.

"Nah…now that I know you guys aren't romantically involved, I kinda appreciate him for looking out for you. So I guess I don't mind… this time. But if he continues being this annoying, I'll have to do something about it." He flexed his muscles teasingly.

"You wouldn't!" I gasped laughingly. "He's half you size. It's unfair and you know it. He wouldn't stand a chance against you!"

"You've got that right!" He crowed triumphantly. "Now if only your friend had the common sense to realize that!"

"Oh he knows it. He's a typical guy though. He just doesn't want to accept it." I said with a grin. "Also, he knows everything about you. He's been hearing about my best friend Jake ever since we've known each other. He always used to joke that even though I called him and Lisa my best friends that they were just temporary replacements for you. I think now that he's confronted with the reality of 'you' he realizes that there might actually be some truth in that. And he doesn't want to lose me to you." I tried my best to make him understand Dylan's motives. "Don't be too harsh on him Jake; give him some time. He'll come to terms with the situation soon enough, especially once he realizes how happy I am."

He gave me a self satisfied grin. "So I make you happy, do I Miss Swan?" he gloated.

"Did I say that? Hmmm…I should be more careful about what I say, shouldn't I?" I answered back slyly.

"Ouch!" He clutched his chest with both hands causing me to shriek loudly, "Jake! Hands on the wheel, dammit! You might be an indestructible, super-powerful creature but don't forget the very vulnerable human in the car with you." I was only half-teasing; my heart was pounding in fright. "I don't know why I always choose to associate with people who have an insane need for speed. First Edward, then Alice and the rest of the Cullens, then Dylan and now you… I'm actually beginning to wonder if I have a previously unknown suicidal tendency."

"As if I'd ever let you get hurt Bells. Don't you know that I'd willingly put myself between you and any danger that came your way, be it of the natural or the supernatural variety?"

"I know…" I whispered in a heartfelt manner. I did know that he wouldn't let me get hurt. I didn't even have to think twice about it. And that was what made him all the more special. That was what made this evening… our first date all the more unique and special.

The conversation between us beyond that point flowed easily, effortlessly… I didn't even realize how much time had gone by till Jake smoothly pulled into the parking lot of an elegant restaurant called 'The Oasis'. It was a new place that'd opened just a few months ago or so I'd heard. What I'd also heard was that it was an insanely exclusive and expensive restaurant and that it was damn near impossible to get reservations to this place on short notice. In fact, I'd been told that you had to make the reservations several weeks in advance.

'_How in the world did he manage to get reservations to this place… for a Friday night, no less… when he just asked me out three days ago? And how in the world is he going to be able to afford a place like this? But, I can't ask him that outright, can I? No… I can't. It'd be really rude to do so.'_

The ambience of the restaurant was really classy; the patrons, well-dressed.

'_Oh God… I really hope I don't make a fool of myself…'_

By the time the maitre d' had seated us; the butterflies were back full force.

Would you like a drink?" Jake asked once we were seated.

My mind shifted abruptly from aimless conjecture over how he got reservations to all the potential pitfalls of a date with Jacob Black. "No, thank you, just ice water—" I began, then realized that a drink might help steady my nerves. "Yes," I corrected myself. "I would."

"What would you like?"

"I'd like to be in Brazil," I mumbled on a ragged sigh.

"I beg your pardon?" He questioned even though I knew he must've heard me clearly.

"Something strong," I said, trying to decide what to drink. "A Manhattan." Then I shook my head, negating that drink. It was one thing to be calmed, another to be lulled into saying or doing something I shouldn't. Since I was a nervous wreck, I wanted something to soothe my tension. Something I could sip slowly until it did its job. Something I didn't even like. "A martini," I decided with an emphatic nod.

"All of that?" he asked, straight-faced. "A glass of water, a Manhattan, and a martini?"

"No … Just the martini," I said with a shaky smile.

"Will I throw you into another bout of confusion if I ask what kind of martini you'd like?"

"Gin," I said. "Vodka," I amended. "No, gin—a gin martini."

My flush deepened… I was too nervous to notice the glint of amusement in his eyes as he solemnly asked, "Dry or wet?"

"Dry."

"Beefeater's, Tanqueray, or Bombay?"

"Tanqueray."

"Olives or onions?"

"Olives."

"One or two?"

"Two."

"Valium or aspirin?" he inquired in that same bland voice, but a grin was tugging at the corner of his mouth, and I realized he'd been teasing me all along.

"I'm sorry. I'm… uh… just a little nervous." I said with a self conscious grin.

"Nervous? Why honey?" He sounds surprised.

"Well… it's a long story but basically it all comes down to the fact that I haven't been on a date in more than three years now, whereas you must've been on dozens…"

"Dozens?!? What're you talking about? That's just insulting! Have you looked at me lately? With a face and body like mine you think all I've been on is a lousy dozen or so dates…? Hundreds is more like it…"

"Hundreds?" I gaped at him in horror.

He burst out laughing. "Just look at your face…!" My frown indicated that I wasn't amused. "Alright, alright… I'm just kidding!" He admitted shamelessly.

"Don't joke about such things Jacob." I admonished him sternly; inwardly heaving a sigh of relief.

"Bells, look at me… this is us we're talking about. So what if I've been on dozens of dates. None of them have been with you. Do you have any idea how long I've waited and dreamed of something like this? If you did, I'm sure you'd know that you have the upper hand in this situation, Bells. If anyone should be shit scared, it should be me! And don't forget, we've known each other for practically all of our lives. We've been best friends for more than 8 years now. Alright, so we've pretty much screwed up our relationship in the past. And we've really, really hurt each other too."He grimaced. "And I suppose it wouldn't be completely inappropriate to say that I handed my heart to you on a platter and you handed it right back. And I might've hated you and the rest of the female sex for that for the last six years." Now the expression on his face was self deprecating. "Oh and let's not forget that we've just now; suddenly and out of the blue, discovered an unquenchable passion for each other. So, yeah… no sweat! No reason to be nervous, right?" He grinned adorably, running his hand through his hair subconsciously and giving it a sexy tousled look.

I couldn't help smiling back at him. He was right. This was us. And as he's said that one time, long back; things between us were supposed to be as easy and natural as breathing. There was no point in unnecessarily freaking myself out. I'd just sit back and see where this went. If nothing else came out of this, I'd at least have the opportunity of getting to know my best friend all over again.

"Right. Just because we've got a terrible track record and we've no arguable reason or any sort of past history to indicate that this thing between us will work out doesn't mean we have to be nervous!" I took a page from his book and continued the self deprecation a step further.

"There you go! That's the spirit, Bells. That's my girl!" He cheered me on… apparently as crazy as I was.

"So, you haven't really gone out with hundreds of women have you?" I clarified timidly.

He burst out laughing. "No… definitely not hundreds. Maybe around 50 or so…" Before I could get into another panic attack, I saw the tiny smirk on his face.

I lightly smacked his arm. "You idiot! You almost had me panicking once again."

"Oh? So the idea of me going out with lots of women bothers you, does it?"

I blushed. "No, of course not. It's just that then you'd have such high expectations and I'd be scared that I'd turn out to be a complete disappointment."

"Yeah, right… sure, sure…" His tone as well as the smile on his face conveyed his utter disbelief.

Alright then… time to change the subject…

"Soooo, now that we've managed to agree on the fact that we're going to relax and enjoy ourselves, can I change my drink order?" I asked maintaining a straight face with difficulty.

"Sure. But may I ask why?" He sensed my impishness and was already smiling in anticipation of my response.

"Because I _hate_ gin martini's!" I burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

He chuckled. "Yeah, that actually makes perfect sense. Sure… I order things that I hate _all_ the time."

That just made me laugh harder.

"So what would you like?"

"Uh… Could I please have a cosmopolitan?" I was trying hard to get control of my giggles.

"Are you sure? Is that your final answer?" He asked mock seriously.

That set me off yet again. "Yes. Yes. Final."

"Alright then, a cosmopolitan… coming right up." I noticed that he had an indulgent expression on his face all throughout the process of summoning the server and requesting the change in order.

"What?" I questioned smilingly the moment we were alone again.

"Would you do me a favor, Bells?" He questioned in response.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"Pinch me."

"Huh?"

"I want to make sure that this is really happening, you know… that it's not a dream. Because I'm not really sure. I've dreamed of this moment so often, you know. And it always ends with me waking up, alone… unhappy. I don't want this to be the same. I want this to be real so bad…"

"Oh Jake…" I didn't know what to say. He was such a sweetheart. I blinked to clear the mistiness in my eyes and strove around for a quick change of subject.

"You know, for a minute there, you had me worried. When you said you wanted a favor, I thought you might ask me to dance topless on top of this table or something crazy like that. And just in case you now think it's a great idea, I should tell you that you'd need to get me way more drunk than I currently am before I'd even be willing to consider it." I teased.

His pupils dilated. "Damn! But… uh… if I did ask… you'd… uh, consider it?" He asked huskily.

I gasped in outrage and smacked him lightly. "Perv!"

He chuckled delightedly. "Hey, don't blame my mind for providing vivid images of the very idea you put in my head! That's just unfair…Alright, alright. How about we make the topless dance a little more…uh… private…? Would that be acceptable to you?" His fingers trailed over my arm lightly, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

"Uh…ummm… uh… let's…" Our food being served was a welcome distraction and it helped to dissolve some of the tension in the air.

The way the food was beautifully arranged on my plate brought up another hoard of questions about the venue we were currently at. In an effort to clear up the thick layer of tension our previous conversation had generated, I jumped at it. "Jacob, what are we doing at such an obviously high-scale restaurant? I mean, can you seriously afford this? You didn't do anything insane, did you?" I questioned seriously.

"Insane like what? You think I robbed a bank or something?" He gave a bark of laughter. "So, you don't think I can afford to bring you to a place like this, am I right? Huh… it's funny how things work out. As a kid I always dreamt of taking you to places like this. Beautiful, elegant, classy places that you deserved to be taken to… but back then, I didn't have the means. Now, today, when I can pretty much afford to take you anywhere you want, I _still_ have to work at convincing you that I can easily take you to fancy places. A guy can't win, can he?" He spoke ruefully.

"God, I don't know what to say Jake. You're right. I probably sounded too snooty and judgmental. I'm sorry. I'm just having a tough time with all this luxury. But you're right; I shouldn't be jumping to bizarre conclusions. How about this…? Is it alright if I ask my best friend how he became successful enough to be able to take me wherever I wanted to go?"

"Yeah, I guess that's alright. Hmmm… lemme see. Your best friend is now the co-owner of an extremely successful security consultancy firm in Seattle. And he's been working his ass off to get to the stage that he is at today. Suffice it to say that he doesn't have to think twice about taking his best friend to places like this anymore…"

I was staggered. "Oh Jake… I'm so happy for you. And at the expense of sounding incredibly condescending; incredibly proud too. I always knew you had it in you to do anything you wanted to."

He gave a self conscious grin. "Thanks Bells."

"So what kind of work do you do?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that; basically anything we can get our hands on. We started out with just the pack naturally, taking cases that involved personal security or sometimes even missing people. But we quickly branched out into pretty much everything. Now we handle all kinds of cases. We have a lot of ex-cops and ex-military guys working for us so we're now in a position to handle even the 'human' side of business. The pack of course, still predominantly handles the vamps and other supernatural weirdo's and our colleagues handle the rest. In fact, our latest gig's going to be handling the security arrangements for a movie that Universal is making starring Brangelina…"

"Wow! That's… that's pretty impressive Jake. If I hadn't already been suitably impressed earlier, well… I certainly would be now! My best friend's a very important man, apparently…Wow… So, do you have all those cool gadgets like James Bond has in the movies, you know; the fast cars, exploding pens, remote control cum cell phones…?" I sounded like a school girl in a candy shop.

Jake burst out laughing. "No… unfortunately not. But what we do have; and you're gonna love this; is a full blown research department. You'll be surprised to know that a whole lot of the really bizarre things that we face; supernatural that is; are actually mentioned in a lot of the old books and scripts. So… we have a whole bunch of people who do nothing but comb hundreds of books for any kind of information that they can give us. Naturally, we can't go hunting for such information in bookstores or public libraries… so… we now have a full-fledged library with lots of books on supernatural phenomena…"

By this time, I was almost jumping up and down in my seat in glee. "Oh gosh… When do I get to see this amazing business of yours, huh?"

He chuckled indulgently. "I promise I'll take you to Seattle one of these days and unleash you into the library. You can spend as much time as you want scouring over all the material we've gathered over the last couple of years."

'_Yes!'_

The rest of the evening passed by smoothly and before I knew it Jake was picking up our tab.

"So what do you want to do now?"

"I dunno. Did you have anything specific in mind?"

He glanced at the ground self consciously. "I…uh… thought we might go dancing. Is that something that you might enjoy doing? I know you hated to dance earlier but at the bonfire I thought you were enjoying yourself…and you were so good at it too…and you looked real graceful…and you made it look effortless…" He trailed off nervously.

"Yeah, dancing sounds like fun. Don't worry Jake. I do enjoying dancing; now that I'm good at it."

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how in the world did that happen?"

I burst out laughing. "I think I've just been insulted." I commented mischievously. "And as for dancing, I learned from the best. Lisa is totally into dancing. When I first met Lisa and Dylan, I was a broken mess… completely uninterested in life. They seemed to think that I was their personal project or something. I think they took my misery a little personally. They took it upon themselves to bring me back to the land of the living. They did it by involving me in their activities."

"For Dylan that was sports…or rather working out. So he got me into running, and kick boxing and lots of swimming. Heck, I even took a few basic self defense classes. Lisa got me into dancing…different styles of it. Surprisingly, I found that I enjoyed it all; the sports and the dance. It also helped that both those things gave me some much needed confidence and focus in life. So, yeah… long story short, I dance now…and I'm no longer a clumsy oaf."

"I noticed" He spoke softly. "You don't seem to require quite as much rescuing as you did in the old days. But damn, I'm going to miss being your knight in shining armor, Bells." There was a strange, wistful look in his eyes.

"What're you talking about, Jake? You'll always be my knight in shining armor. And as long as there are things that go bump in the night, I'll always be in need of rescuing. You just won't need to rescue me from myself as much as you had to in the past. Trust me, that's a good thing. I'm no longer classified a hazard. I'm thrilled about that." I cupped his cheek tenderly. "And don't you worry… if for some reason, it turns out that the supernatural things in the world disappear all of a sudden, I'll make it a point to walk into situations that you can then rescue me from. Happy?"

He just nodded and pressed a fleeting kiss into the palm of my hand; making it tingle like crazy. "Alright then, let's make a move, honey. I want to get to the club as quickly as possible. Ever since I saw you dancing with your friend, I've been dying to hold you in my arms like that." He gave me a wolfish grin and lowered his voice to a husky undertone, "I want to feel your body against mine, Bella; I want to feel you move against me. I want to mold your curves. I want my hands on you, Bella and yours on me…" He tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, running his finger over my cheek in the process.

I flushed in response to his words. Was his choice of words deliberately provocative? Knowing Jacob I could be sure it was… My heartbeat kicked up a notch.

As we made our way towards the parking lot, Jake's hand automatically settled against the low of my back. It was a simple enough gesture, yet it was enough to ignite a flame low in my belly. It felt like a possessive gesture…it stated that I was with him and that everyone else was allowed to look but not touch. It felt exciting…it felt exhilarating… it felt electrifying…

Just like that, I couldn't wait to get my hands on him either… and not in the way Jake had been talking about either. I didn't want to do something stupid like go dancing…not when it involved a public setting and having to behave myself. I wanted to be wild and uninhibited and alone with Jake…and I wanted… no _needed_ to have him touch me the way he had a few nights ago.

"Jake, screw the dancing, I need you to take me home." I spoke urgently.

He looked startled…until he deciphered the look in my eyes. Then he groaned harshly and spun me around so that my body was trapped between the car and his body.

"You're _killing_ me, Bells. I'm _trying_ to be a gentleman here." He growled. "You're not helping."

His tone of voice made me feel totally breathless. "But I don't want you to behave." I whined petulantly. "I want you to be a bad, _bad_ boy." I whispered in what I hoped was a seductive whisper.

His gulp was gratifying. So was the slightly nervous look in his eyes.

I felt powerful… I felt in control… and I loved the feeling.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took in several deep breaths of air. Then he rested his forehead against mine in a gesture of surrender...of supplication…

"Take me home, Jake." I whispered compellingly against his lips.

He groaned helplessly. "Fuck! You don't play fair honey. You have no idea how appealing that thought is. Do you have any clue how much I want you? Do you know how much I fantasize about you?"

I grinned triumphantly. "Do you now…?" I was feeling very good about myself, very powerful, very confident…

Until… he opened his eyes and I saw the naked, undiluted lust in his eyes. Then, it was my turn to gulp nervously. "All the time. Day and night. Continuously. You're all I can think about. Do you know what it's like to be in a constant state of arousal?" He took my hand and boldly wrapped it around his engorged member. "Well… I didn't know either, till the day you came back. Since that day, this is the state I've been in… constantly. My body aches for you, Bella. _I_ ache for you."

His words were causing a white hot heat to pervade my limbs and flow through my entire body. "So you want me to take you home, huh? Well… your wish is my command…" he whispered huskily…hypnotically holding me captive with his eyes.

And then his mouth was showing me what I'd made him feel; passion…blistering hot, all consuming... My pulse leaped, my stomach clenched and my heart slammed out of control. I grasped great handfuls of his shirt and held on for dear life as my legs grew weaker… as the most wonderful lethargy overcame me…

As soon as we broke for air, he moved his attention to my neck dropping tiny, open-mouthed kisses from my jaw, down my neck and all the way to my left shoulder. The hand that wasn't tangled in my hair played with the strap of my dress rhythmically running it up and down my shoulder.

Ugh! Enough toying… I had to have his hands on me, right this instant!

"Oh Goood… touch me Jake…" I whispered desperately. "_Please_… I need your hands on me…"

"Yeah? Is that so?" He asked in a sexy rasp. "You like it when I touch you, do you?" His hand teased me, moving in maddening, expanding circles from my belly all the way till it cupped my breast. His thumb gently brushed over my nipple, making it tighten instantly in response. I gasped at the wonderful tingling sensation. "Do you like that, Bella? Do you like it when I play with your nipple? Did I ever tell you how much your breasts fascinate me? Every time you move, they move with you. I'd imagine for hours what they'd feel like, taste like…" He growled fiercely. "Can I taste you, Bella?"

Without waiting for a response that I wasn't even sure I'd have been capable of giving, he bent his head down and engulfed my nipple completely in his hot, wet mouth. He sucked rhythmically and my whole body shuddered in response. I could feel the movement of his tongue through the wet material of my dress and I couldn't begin to describe the sensation even if I tried… the wetness of his mouth and the abrasion of the wet silk against my distended nipple almost made me delirious with pleasure.

God… what was he doing to me? Why was it that this one man was capable of just touching me and driving me to insane heights of pleasure I'd never experienced before even at the hands of my ex-husband?

When he used his teeth to take a gentle bite of my already tender breast, I completely lost my train of thought. I was vaguely aware that I was sobbing aloud in pleasure but I couldn't do anything to stop it.

Finally, thankfully, he turned his attention from my amazingly sensitive nipple to my ear, alternately nibbling on the earlobe and soothing the hurt caused with his tongue. His low husky voice sent a shiver down my spine…as did his warm breath blowing on my wet lobe. "Fuck Bella. You're driving me crazy. I can't help but wonder… will I ever have you at my leisure or will you always drive me completely insane?"

The sudden ringing sound came out of nowhere and had a staggering effect equal to being bodily tossed into a freezing pool of water. It also made me want to commit murder.

"Shit! Fuck…" Jake sounded none too pleased either. He scrambled around for his cell phone and glanced agitatedly at the display screen. "Sorry Bells. I have to take this." He gave me an apologetic smile. I reluctantly brought my head out of the clouds, gave him the 'go-ahead' and set about repairing my appearance.

"_What?_" He snarled; making me wince in sympathy towards whoever was on the other end of the line. "Whoa, whoa, whoa Sammy… Sammy, slow down sweetie."

Just like that, the sympathy evaporated. What the _fuck_ was that bitch doing calling him at this time, interrupting our date?

"What?!? _Jesus_… How? Are you sure?" The change in tone was startling. The frustration of a few moments ago was quickly replaced by a quicksilver flash of sorrow and regret. Then, as if he'd consciously made an effort to rein in his emotions, control and professionalism took over. "When did this happen? Where were you at the time? Are _you_ hurt? How many people? _Fuck!_ Did you inform the others?"

Oh Jesus… I was getting a bad feeling about this. The anger at Sammy was quickly replaced by an intense feeling of dread.

He started pacing around the parking lot, running his hand through his hair repeatedly, power oozing out of his every pore. He was a sight to behold; more beautiful, more entrancing than a prowling tiger. It almost felt like he was keeping himself on a tight leash… like one snap on the control and the wildness would spring forth snapping and snarling. I immediately knew that I was seeing 'Jacob Black – the alpha' in action here and there was only one way to describe the sight – magnificent.

The power was just flowing off him in waves. It was overwhelming…and reassuring. Some part of me recognized that if anyone could handle this crisis it was Jake.

A detached, uninvolved part of me was also conscious that it was sexy as hell; this power that he wore like a second skin. But now was obviously not the time to be thinking about such things. So I tucked the not-so-insignificant kernel of information away for examination at some later date.

"Yeah…yeah, Sammy, give him the phone… What happened, Rafe?" The quiet authority came through, loud and clear. "No, of course it wasn't your fault. Don't worry. We'll be there right away. No, yeah… you stick around. Make sure everyone's safe. Don't let anyone leave or come into the office till we get there. Call Sam or Embry or better yet, Leah. Let them know what's happening. I have to make one quick stop and then I'll be on my way." His voice softened perceptibly; became soothing, comforting. "And Rafe…? You did a good job. Don't blame yourself."

As soon as he hung up the phone, his calm façade crumbled. His shoulders sagged as if the weight of the entire world was on his shoulders."Dammit all to hell!" He swore succinctly and punched one of the concrete support pillars inside the garage. I flinched, not sure if he'd hurt himself or broken the pillar. I wasn't exactly surprised when I noticed that not only had he not gotten hurt but that he'd managed to make a fist sized indention in the concrete.

'_Man… he's like… superman! I'd almost forgotten that. Hmmm… No wonder I broke my hand when I punched him back in high school.'_

'_Not now Bella…'_

"What's wrong Jake?" I asked tentatively.

The pain in his eyes when they met mine was enough to make me gasp and hurry to his side. "What Jacob? Tell me… Is it the pack? Billy? Charlie? Is everyone alright?" I asked frantically.

"Oh no… don't worry honey. They're all fine. Someone broke into our office tonight."

"Oh my… How, Jake? What happened? Was anyone hurt?"

He appeared a little dazed. "I uh… don't know. Yeah, someone was hurt. This shouldn't have happened." He was deep in thought…distracted. He snapped out of the daze suddenly, "Uh… Bells… I have to go. Do you mind…? I know it's a little abrupt but I can't help it. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I'm sorry. I'll take you home of course…"

"You don't have to, Jake. I can take a cab."

"NO!" He shouted, startling me. "No." He reiterated, softly this time. "I'm taking you home. Don't argue with me about this. It's not up for discussion." He sounded pretty emphatic.

I had to admit to being just a little confused. "What is it Jake? What aren't you telling me?"

He sighed. "Nothing Bells…"

I frowned. He rushed to explain himself. "Look, I don't know if there is anything to tell as yet, okay? I need to get to Seattle and deal with this mess as soon as possible. I wouldn't be able to be peaceful unless I knew you'd reached home safely. You have no idea the kind of weirdo's that're out there, honey. It'll just make me feel better, alright?"

I gave in with a sigh. "Fine. But if something is wrong, you'll tell me, right?"

"Sure, sure"

He hovered protectively till I was safely ensconced into the confines of the car. Then he hurried over to his side. If I'd been paying closer attention, I'd have noticed him scanning the surroundings alertly; sniffing deeply; looking around inquisitively. What I _did_ notice was that the moment the car peeled out of the garage; there was a noticeable release of inner tension.

'_Okay… something is definitely wrong. I just have to bid my time and pester him till he tells me what it is…' _

The ride home was as different from the ride here as night and day. Jake was moody and withdrawn; lost in his own thoughts. I couldn't think of any way to cheer him up. I wasn't even sure it was appropriate for me to try.

He made a couple of curt phone calls… one to the pack and one to some guy named Jason. The contents of both were pretty much cryptic.

In no time at all, we were pulling up to the house. Before I could take off my seat belt, he was out of the car and at my side opening the door solicitously. He escorted me to the main door, walking protectively close to me along the way. "There's something wrong. I just know it. What is it?" I felt a terrible sense of urgency.

Before he could answer, Dylan opened the door. He stared at us, bewildered then threw a quick glance at his wristwatch. "Wow. Huh… you're the first guy to take my warning so seriously. It's not even 10 o'clock…"

"Not now, Dylan!"I muttered warningly. "Jake…?"

He gave me a quick, distracted kiss on my forehead. "I really gotta run, Bells. The guys are waiting for me. Don't worry though. Leah, Seth, Paul, Colin and Brady are staying back. Contact them if you need anything, okay? Umm… uh… Dylan, are Alice and Jasper still here?"

Dylan just looked more confused. He threw me a glance that clearly stated, 'What the hell is going on here?' but when he answered Jake, all he said was, "Uh… yeah. They're here. I'll just go get them."

'_He has got to be freaking kidding me! He must really think I'm dumb if he honestly expects me to believe that nothing's wrong. And now he wants to talk to Alice and Jasper?? Willingly…? Oh yeah… and Still… nothing's wrong…? Yeah, right!'_

"Jacob Black, you tell me what the hell is wrong and you tell me right now! I demand it!!" I spoke in what I hoped was an authoritative tone. If I was honest I was beginning to get more than a little freaked out. I knew… somewhere deep in my gut I knew… that this was something bad.

"Bella…" He began gently. "I meant what I said some time back honey. I don't know if there's something to worry about as yet. I know I'm behaving a little weirdly but I'm just taking a few precautions here. I don't want to take any chances, okay? Hopefully once I get to Seattle I'll know that this is all for nothing and that I was freaking out unnecessarily. But until then… and especially since I'm not going to be around, I don't want to take any chances alright? Don't worry honey, if something is seriously wrong, I'll tell you, I promise. I won't keep it from you just to protect you, okay?" I was satisfied with his reassurance…well… sort of…

Alice and Jasper walked into the room before I could argue with him any further.

"You wanted to see us…" Alice interrupted us, throwing uncertain glances between each of our faces.

"Yes…Uh, Bells… could you excuse us for a minute?"

Oh no… he I wouldn't be going anywhere. If he thought he was going to get rid of me so easily…well… he had another think coming! "You have _got_ to be kidding me! No I am _not_ going to excuse you! Say whatever you want to say to them right here, in front of me."

"_Bella!_" He groaned out in frustration. I refused to budge."Fine!" He huffed in resignation. "If that's what you want…"

The moment he began talking, I knew he'd managed to get the better of me. I couldn't hear a damn thing he was saying, dammit! But, the growing concern on Alice and Jasper's face indicated that they obviously could.

"Damn you, Jacob Black!" I growled angrily. "I won't be left out of important stuff again, you hear me?"

"Bella, please… I just need to verify some things, please. You trust me, right? I'll tell you everything as soon as I'm back from Seattle, I swear!"

He gave me a massive hug that I found myself unable to resist. As I burrowed closer to him, I found myself letting go of my doubts and worries and relaxing in his embrace. I completely missed the worried look that Jake exchanged with Jasper and Alice over the top of my head. I also missed the look of firm resolution and reassurance that Alice gave Jake but if I had, I'd have noticed that it was responsible for draining some of the tension from his frame.

After a few minutes of holding me close, he pulled back to look me closely in the eye. "Bye, honey… you take care, okay? I'll see you soon."

He gave me a brief but mind numbing kiss and was gone before I could think of anything else to say.

"What the hell was that all about?" I questioned Alice and Jasper as soon as Jake was out of the room.

They were both the epitome of calmness. "We have no idea what you're talking about, Bella…" They might as well have been whistling or humming inanely for all their studious cluelessness. Ugh!

"Fine… be that way! Traitors!!" I huffed. "_I_ am going to bed. _Good night_!"

I intentionally stomped all the way upstairs and then made a production of banging both the bathroom doors and then the bedroom door. I hated that they were so obviously hiding something from me. To make matters even worse, my best friend had teamed up my other best friend…who was his so called enemy… but had kept _me_ in the dark! Ugh!!

My fit of pique made sleep a little elusive. After a couple of hours spent tossing and turning I finally dropped off into a restless slumber.

I woke up some time later in a cold sweat. The first thing I noticed was that I wasn't in my bed anymore. I was in some unknown place, completely devoid of light; cold, dank, dark… Not even a tiny ray of light penetrated the oppressive darkness.

It was so cold that I could almost imagine my breath coming out in wisps. My whole body immediately broke out in goosebumps.

'_Where am I? How did I get out of bed? And what is this place? Why is it so cold out here?'_

"Hello? Can anybody hear me? Where am I? Hello…?"

The only response I got was the steady drip-drip of water somewhere in the background.

I wished there was some kind of light around me; something to at least guide myself by. I didn't want to stumble around in the darkness; who knew what nasty surprises awaited me in this hellhole.

Suddenly; almost as if I'd willed it so; my surroundings were illuminated by an eerie greenish glow.

As I looked around, I realized that I was in some kind of cave-like structure; except the walls seemed to be made of concrete instead of rock. I also noticed that I seemed to be laid out on a slab like structure that was the focal point of the room. The slab was surrounded on all sides by some kind of stone spikes; like stalactites and four of those had thick metal chains attached to them.

I threw a panicky look at my hands and legs, but thankfully, they were unchained. But one thing was immediately apparent; this place whatever it was; wasn't a good place to be. I realized with an overwhelming sense of urgency that I had to get out of here as soon as possible…

I hopped off the bed and set about investigating this strange place I'd woken up in.

A complete circuit around the room revealed nothing. No doors, no windows, no passages leading in or out… not even cracks. It almost seemed like a tomb… a cold, desolate tomb.

By this time, the sense of urgency and dread had grown a thousand fold. Something was very wrong with this place… I just knew it! I'd never been claustrophobic before but this place was quickly changing that.

"Hello?!? Is anyone there…? Help!! Please…please… help!!" I yelled out in growing panic.

The moment I stopped yelling, I became conscious of a fog, seemingly coming out of nowhere that was quickly filling up the cavernous room…

My breath began coming out in little pants.

"You called, my darling?" A melodic voice, right behind me, almost startled me to death.

I whipped around and came face to face with an angel… the one from my dreams… with the blond hair and stormy blue eyes. I gaped at him in awe…entranced by his beauty. For some inexplicable reason, all of my fear drained away and in its place was a wonderful feeling of bliss.

I felt as if an invisible chain was pulling me towards him and I went along, moving closer to him slowly, helpless to resist his lure; not even wanting to make the effort. It was almost as if I'd lost all power over my actions… almost as if I was blindly following unconscious orders. I felt like I was floating in air looking down at myself from a large distance. The small bit of me that still had use of my faculties seemed to be screaming aloud in protest; screaming at me to run as far away from this person as possible. But that part of me was muffled. I could hear my inner voice telling me to run away but I couldn't get my limbs to obey the command. I felt like I was drugged.

"We meet again, my darling. I've missed you so. How have you been?

"What have you done to me?" I slurred. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Tsk…Tsk…Tsk… Forgive me, love. I almost forgot that I haven't even introduced myself to you. It is an unforgivable oversight on my part. But in my defense, I forget that just because I know everything about you, it doesn't mean that you know everything about me." He bent low over my hand and placed a chaste kiss on the back of it. I shivered deliciously when his cold lips came in contact with my skin. "I am Vladimir, precious Bella…"

"H…he…hello. I am Bella." I blushed profusely. "You know that."

He laughed richly. "I can see why so many of my kind have been entranced by you, my dear. There is a pureness to you that's impossible to resist."

'_Of his kind…? What does that mean?' _

"Where am I?" I reiterated.

"I'm sorry if all this frightens you. Believe me, that wasn't my intention at all. I just thought that it was high time we met again. You are in my home my dear… _your_ future home. "

'_My future home…? How strange…How wonderful…'_

"Is this a dream then? Because last time I saw you, it was in a dream. But… why do I dream of you again and again?"

"Magnificent my dear… you are truly magnificent! And so very intelligent. Yes this is a dream. And you're definitely asking the right questions. You dream of me because I _will_ it so. You see, Isabella, I am your destiny. We are meant to be together. I need you to accept that. I need you to get to know me as well as I know you so that when I actually come for you there are no complications."

A trickle of fear seeped in through the daze. "No… no… you can't mean that. I'm not your destiny… I'm no one's destiny…"

'_Not even Jake's…'_ I thought sorrowfully.

A flash of pure rage lit up his beautiful face. "Don't ever think about that pup in my presence again!" His voice was sharp like a whip; his visage, cruel. I flinched like I'd been struck. The daze evaporated in an instant. Cold tendrils of dread took its place.

Instantly, he seemed to realize that there was a noticeable difference in my demeanor. As if he'd flipped a switch; the anger was gone; replaced by the seductive charm once again. "You're wrong about us not being destined to be together. I'll take great pleasure in proving you wrong… you'll see, my darling, you and I belong together. You'll accept that fact soon enough. And when you do, you'll come to me yourself. Together, you and I will rule the world…"

It all sounded so enthralling. Rule the world…? I'd love to rule the world. And with him by my side. Things couldn't get any better than that.

But something kept nagging me. Something was off…

And then it hit me; the thing that was wrong, that was off was… the way my emotions were see-sawing all over the place. It was… my seeming desire for this beautiful, unknown stranger.

It almost seemed like he was controlling my emotions… telling me what to feel. I didn't even know this guy but I was practically willing to follow him to the ends of the earth. I'd always been immune to being controlled; I'd always had a strong mind…Edward being unable to read my mind was proof enough of that… but this person; this stranger was manipulating me like a puppet.

I struggled against whatever hold he seemed to have on me. "I'm only going to ask this one more time and I expect a clear-cut answer! _What_ are you? What the hell have you done...drugged me…? And where the hell am I? What is this place? Where are my friends? Where's my mom? What have you done with them, you bastard??" The moment the daze diminished I was in full blown panic mode.

"Ah…now is that any way to talk to your mate?" He chastised lovingly.

'_Is this guy freaking delusional? Is he for real??'_

"I'm not your mate!" I protested. But apparently, neither my incredulous expression nor my protest had any effect on him. He went on blandly as if he was discussing the weather. "I understand this is all a bit too much to take in. And I also understand that highjacking your dream must not have endeared me to you so I'll give you the benefit of doubt this time." He ran his fingers down my cheek all the way to the crook of my neck. I shuddered in revulsion. "Now as far as your friends and family go, you'll have to leave them behind, of course. They have no place in the wonderful future we have ahead of us. They wouldn't understand our love anyway. They'd all stand in the way of our happiness."

"Never! I'd never leave my friends and family behind! Not for anything… If I couldn't do it for Edward, who I loved with all my heart, I definitely won't do it for you, you bastard." I stated empathically, hoping to put an end to this madness.

He seemed to be contemplating something. "Ah yes, Edward…" A snarl was ripped from his throat. "So, you won't give up your friends and family, am I correct? Well then, we'll just have to take care of all of them, won't we?" Gone was the benevolent handsomeness… in its place was a depthless malevolence; glowing red eyes, distorted features and _oh my freaking God_… fangs...

'_He's a vampire… Oh shit! He's a vampire!!'_

Subconsciously, I began backing away from him in terror.

Then, abruptly, the image before my eyes shifted and he wasn't there anymore. Instead I was looking upon Charlie and Renee's mangled bodies lying on the floor in front of me. Their cold, unseeing eyes seemed to be looking at me accusingly. I gasped in horror.

The image shifted again to that of Dylan and Lisa… or at least what had been them, before their heads had been severed from their bodies along with their limbs. Pools of blood were lying on the floor all around their bodies and a group of new born vampires was greedily licking all of it off the ground.

"Noooooooo….." A tortured groan erupted from my throat. I wanted to close my eyes but somehow I couldn't make myself look away from the gruesome sight.

Then, Dylan and Lisa morphed into Alice and Jasper… Emmett and Rosalie… Carlisle and Esme… and Edward. Their heads were all lying in one corner of the room while their bodies and limbs were lying in the other corners. A huge bonfire was burning in the center and another group of vampires was throwing the body parts one by one into it.

As each new piece was fed into the fire, it'd burn brighter for a couple of minutes and emit plumes of purple smoke.

By this time, I was on my knees, retching helplessly.

I didn't even know if any of these images were real or still a part of the dream. I could only pray that it was still the dream…

I couldn't stop looking… no matter how hard I tried to.

"Please, no more… please…" I begged between sobs.

"Ah but this last one is priceless. I saved the best for last you see…" The melodic, lilting tone was back but now I could sense the undertone of cruelty in his words.

The image shifted once again to that of the pack, lying writhing on the ground in agony. All of them… my friends… Embry, Quil, Sam, Paul, Jared, Leah, Seth, Colin, Brady… they were all frothing at the mouth, their bodies twisting and twitching; their eyes filled with unimaginable pain; their mouths open in wordless screams of horror. Endless tears were now pouring down my cheeks.

And then I realized that Jacob wasn't with them… My eyes frantically searched for my best friend. He was the only one not accounted for. "Jake! Jacob!!" I called out frantically.

And then I saw him… and the horror of what was about to happen ripped through me. Jake's body was twisted beyond repair. His hands and legs were almost torn out of their sockets; his clothes matted with copious amounts of blood. But he was alive… his shallow breathing and his groans told me that he was alive. But not for long… Vladimir was standing over Jake's prone body with his fangs out; ready for the kill. His eyes were blood red and filled with hunger.

"No, please… no! Don't! Don't do it! He'll die. Oh please, don't kill him! Your venom will kill him." I begged helplessly.

"Ah… but that's where you're wrong. I'm not like your Edward, you see… not like any of the Cullen's. I don't have venom. I don't need any such ridiculous devices to make my kills. I'm powerful Bella… more powerful than anything you've ever experienced, more powerful than even the Volturi. My bite won't kill your precious Jacob; I have many other, better, more enjoyable means of achieving that goal with my bare hands. And if that doesn't work, I have a back-up plan…" He held up a syringe of some sort, filled with a translucent swirling liquid.

"Wha… what is that?" I asked fearfully.

"This, my dear is what you've been afraid of. It's one of the many vials of venom that I got from your precious Edward, just before I tore his head off. I could inject this in Jacob's heart, killing him instantly. Or I could inject it in his little toe and watch the poison spread slowly… revel in the torment his body goes through..."

"Don't you just love irony? Your ex-husband being responsible for your current lover's death…? Who would've thought, huh?" He smiled an unholy smile while I looked on in horror.

"No…" I whispered. "God… please make it stop. Please… I don't want to see this. Tell me how to make it stop. Tell me how to make it all go away. Don't hurt my friends… my parents, please. I'll do anything. Anything…" I was blabbering insanely, not even aware of what I was saying. I just knew that I had to make this stop.

"Ah… that's better." The images disappeared. Vladimir and I were back in the windowless room. I dropped to my knees in relief, still sobbing hysterically.

"You don't want those things to really come to pass, do you?" He asked soothingly.

I just shook my head frantically.

"Then, don't try to resist me. Don't let them get in the way. I _will_ destroy them if they try to stop me from being with you. Always remember, I am your destiny. And I _will_ not be denied. Are you ready Bella? I'm coming for you… soon…"

Slowly, as the horror from the images faded, some of my thought processes were beginning to function normally. "No… You're lying! You won't be able to hurt my family or my friends. The Cullen's… they're strong. And Jacob and his friends…? You don't even know what they're capable of! You won't be able to hurt them and you definitely don't have any chance of getting past them to me." I scoffed confidently all the while praying that it was true.

"Really? Such confidence… so misplaced! Did your precious Jacob tell you that I killed three of his 'friends' today? That office break-in that took him to Seattle in the middle of your 'date'…? That was me, my love! And I enjoyed… no… relished snacking on his little office mates. Oh… they were so tasty. But I'm sure he'd be tastier. Ummm…"

I woke up gasping, crying helplessly, still covered in sweat.

My cries brought my friends and Renee rushing into my room.

"Alice, Jasper… did Jake say something about three of his colleagues being killed in the break-in at his office?" I asked frantically.

They didn't say anything. They didn't have to. The astonishment reflected in their expressions… the fear; the sadness in their eyes spoke for them…

I found that I couldn't breathe. "He's coming for me…"

**A/N: - There it is… finally, done. So, I have absolutely no idea where the supernatural aspect came from. Here I was, struggling with the chapter, wondering what to do with their date and BAM! :D so, I pretty much ran with it. Hope it made for an interesting read. **

**Anyway, thanks as usual to my wonderful betas Cheryl and Ashley. They are by far the best betas around, seriously. **

**Cheryl, your amazing insights into the characters and their reactions makes it so much easier for me to imagine them. Thank you so much for making my job easier. **

**Ashley, thank you for being my brainstorming buddy. You're always there when I need you and you put up with all my wild ideas and give wonderful suggestions along the way. Thanks babe. **

**And then, of course, there's my soulmate – Erin – a fellow Buffy lover. The supernatural angle is completely and totally dedicated to you, babe (especially the name Vladimir…which I want to tell everyone is her suggestion). Your constant support and encouragement and praise mean a lot to me. Thank you. **

**Finally, as usual… please review! Trust me… it makes me feel better about spending so much of my time thinking about this story when I should actually be thinking of something else. Also, it reduces the guilt. And it makes me feel much more inspired to begin writing the next one as quickly as possible! As usual… more reviews equals updates. So, basically, its' all up to you.**

**Oh and btw, did I tell you that Vladimir has informed me that he'll be most happy to stalk anyone who doesn't leave a review? LOL! Save yourselves from his evil clutches; leave a review!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Disclaimer: - None of the characters you recognize belong to me. They are here solely for my pleasure and will be returned to SM without any damage whatsoever, except for Jake, of course. I might just decide to keep him around for myself. :P**

**Oh, by the way, it's the last day of the SOB contest. Have you guys read all the wonderful one-shots entered in it and voted for your fav one? If not, what're you waiting for?? Last chance, people!**

**Oh, and I have a very important A/N at the end of the chapter regarding this fic. Please do make it a point to read it. And now, on with the story…**

BPOV

"Where is he? Is he back yet?" I pushed past Leah, looking around wildly.

"Uh… hey, Bella…? Good morning…? Who…uh… who're you looking for…?" To say that Leah looked disoriented when she answered the door would've been a total understatement.

"Where is he? Where's Jake? Is he back yet?" I pushed past her and walked right through the living room and into Jake's bedroom which was as empty as the rest of the house.

I sat down despondently on the bed holding my head in my hands.

"Oh, you're looking for Jake, of course." She said groggily. "Wow… uh… yeah…" She cleared her throat uncomfortably, "He left for Seattle last night. He's not back yet. It's really early, you know. You do know that, right?" She was beginning to look more than a little put out. She glanced pointedly at the clock on the wall. "It's freaking six o'clock!"

"Yeah, we tried telling her that too." Unbeknown to me, Lisa and Dylan had walked into the open door of Jake's room.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked loudly. "Did you follow me?"

"Yeah, duh…" Dylan's eye roll would've been funny under any other circumstances. As it was, I was in no mood to laugh.

"Why'd you have to go and do that?" I was really pissed off.

"Well, we knew that nothing good could come out of you leaving the house; alone at 5.30 in the morning. You wouldn't let us come along when we asked nicely and you wouldn't even agree to wait till we called Alice and Jasper. So we decided to just follow our own instincts, like the good friends that we are." Dylan was trying to make it sound light-hearted. The moment he realized I wasn't buying it, he became serious. "We were worried about you, Bella. I don't claim to understand half of what's going on with you now-a-days but I do know when something's wrong. It's been years since you've had nightmares that you've woken up screaming from. We couldn't let you go out all by yourself, that's all there is to it and we're sorry if you're upset with us but we didn't know what else to do."

"No, I'm sorry…" I replied in a small voice, feeling like an ungrateful bitch. "And thank you so much for caring…" I had the best friends in the whole world and half of the time I felt like I didn't deserve them.

"Alright then, coffee anyone?" Leah inserted before either Dylan or Lisa could reply.

'_Wait a minute! Bed head, PJ's, groggy and disoriented; Leah slept at Jake's place…? Why? Why? Why would she do that? Why?'_

"What're you doing here Leah?" I asked somewhat militantly. I found that I did not like the idea of Leah spending the night at Jake's place one bit… even if technically, Jake wasn't even home right now...

"Uh…what…?" Leah looked confused.

"What're you doing here? Why are you at Jake's house this early in the morning? And why are you in your pajamas?" I demanded empathically.

"Oh God, I _really_ need coffee…" She groaned.

"Sorry." Lisa threw an apologetic look at Leah. "We'll try to get her out of your hair as soon as possible."

"Nah… its fine… I wasn't sleeping anyway. Come into the kitchen. We'll talk while I get some caffeine into my system." She said calmly.

'_What is going on here? Why is Leah being so civil to me and my friends all of a sudden?'_

"Oh and Bella…? I'm here because Jake called last night and asked me to stay over to keep an eye on Billy while he was gone, okay? Don't worry. I know what you're thinking and there's no need for you to be worried on my account. There's nothing going on between Jake and me...there never has been. We're just very, very good friends, that's all. The only girl he's interested in right now is you, trust me." Then she casually walked away, leaving me completely flabbergasted.

"Alright… what're you up to?" I trailed behind her. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"

"Oh I dunno… maybe it's because I haven't had my coffee yet, which if you'd just let me, I'd like to rectify right this minute."

"Fine, have your stupid coffee then! Just tell me… have you heard from Jacob yet?"

"Since yesterday night…? No. He did call me to update me about the situation at the office. At the time, he didn't say anything about being back early. Sorry." She scooped in 4 spoons of ground coffee beans into the coffee maker and switched it on.

"Maybe I should call him again…remind him that he promised…" I mumbled to myself causing Leah to throw an inquisitive glance at me.

'_Shit! Stupid werewolf hearing! Gotta be more careful in the future…'_

I just pretended that I hadn't seen her look and she let it slide. _'That's it… I know something's wrong with Leah. That's the proof right there, her letting me get away with anything is just totally out of character. She should've been jumping down my throat even as we speak.' _

But… there were far more important things to deal with here than Leah's abnormal behavior. I needed to know the facts; all of them, not just the ones I found out through weird dreams.

"So, I heard you had some casualties during the break-in at your office yesterday…" I probed around casually in an attempt to gain some information.

She grimaced. "You heard, huh?" I went along not bothering to correct her. "It was terrible. Nothing like this has happened before. It shouldn't have happened now. God, I hope the guys find out what's happening soon…" She trailed off into silence, her whole body reflecting the sorrow she felt. I felt a little disgusted with myself. Here I was prying her for information when she… they'd all lost three of their friends, their co-workers. How sick could I be?

"Were they your friends, the people who…got hurt?" Dylan questioned softly.

She laughed bitterly "Got hurt…? That's a nice euphemism for dying." Dylan couldn't maintain eye contact with her and suddenly developed an extreme interest in his shoes. "God, I'm sorry for being such a bitch." I looked at her in shock. Leah, _admitting_ to being a bitch…? Maybe this incident had affected her more than she was letting on.

"To answer your question, no they weren't really my friends, just acquaintances. But that doesn't make this any easier. Dammit, they were our employees. They trusted us. We were responsible for their welfare. It's our fault they got hurt…" Unless I was mistaken, Leah's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

We all looked away shamefully. There were no more questions to be asked, no more comments to be made… What was left to say…? Sorry for your loss sounded so callous, especially coming from me because clearly, I was only worried about the well-being and safety of my loved ones. I couldn't deny that as soon as I'd known that my friends and family were safe, I'd heaved a sigh of relief. The thought that someone else, had died, that hadn't bothered me as much; all I'd felt was a twinge of sadness.

There was utter and complete silence as we all waited for the coffee to finish percolating. There was nothing left to say. Leah quietly went about setting out cream, sugar and spoons.

Even in these circumstances, I couldn't help but notice that Leah seemed _way_ too comfortable in Jake's kitchen. Despite all my efforts to take it in my stride, the thought was wreaking havoc with my peace of mind. I scowled internally, amazed at my own selfishness.

As if she knew precisely which direction my mind was wandering off to, Leah gave me a tiny but reassuring smile. "I come by to check up on Billy whenever I come down from Seattle to visit Mom. Jake doesn't get to come down as often as he'd like to, so he appreciates the updates that I provide. Also, it's an unwritten rule that whoever comes to check up on Billy does the groceries for him, so you'll find that every one of us knows his or her way around this kitchen."

I blushed. Was I that obvious? Apparently, I was… "It's none of my business." I murmured hastily.

"Isn't it? Could've fooled me. Hmmm… not sure Jake would agree with you on that front, but whatever…" I was grateful that she at least went to the trouble of pretending to be blasé about it.

Dylan, unfortunately, had no such compunction; he was grinning like a fool.

Leah sighed as the first sip of coffee gave her a much needed kick of caffeine. I could understand exactly what she was feeling.

Her movements no longer sluggish, she pinned me under an intense gaze. "How the hell do you know about the murders Bella? I just realized that there's no way in hell you could've heard about them like you'd have me believe. Hell, _I_, myself didn't know till the boys reached Seattle which was very late last night and I know for a fact that Jake didn't tell you because he asked me not to. You want to tell me what the hell's going on?"

I squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze. In the light of day, I was beginning to feel just a tad bit self conscious as I reflected back over the events of the previous night. What was I going to say to Leah that'd satisfactorily explain this; that I dreamt about it…? That would sound ridiculous! Just like some of my reactions last night…

Blind, gut-wrenching terror had caused me to make a frantic phone call to Jacob; despite Alice's assurances to the contrary, I'd had to make sure that he really was safe.

He'd already reached Seattle by the time I managed to get a hold of him; and was busy trying to figure out some answers into the seemingly random break-in and the brutal murders of his colleagues. In my state of utter panic, I'd made him promise to leave the investigation halfway and come back to me as soon as he possibly could… which, considering the police involvement couldn't be any earlier than this morning.

Despite Jasper and Alice's best efforts, I couldn't manage to go back to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I was constantly bombarded with the horrific images from my dreams. I found that staying awake was a much better alternative.

As a result, when morning dawned, I'd been running on fear, adrenaline, too much caffeine and too little sleep.

At first light, I managed to sneak out of the house; determined to get to La Push as soon as I possibly could.

But, apparently, in my haste, I failed to notice that I was being followed. So much for a quiet, stealthy escape… Oh well…

The rest; as they say; is history.

"You called Jake…?" Leah prompted. "Do you know something I don't? Is he planning on coming home early?" I nodded silently. "I don't understand. Why would he do that?" She seemed confused.

I threw a covert glance at Lisa and Dylan trying to indicate that I couldn't discuss the matter in their presence. Unfortunately, they intercepted the look and interpreted it correctly.

"What the hell is going on Izzy? And don't say nothing cause' we're through buying that load of bullshit." Dylan sounded very firm. I panicked.

How the hell was I going to handle this situation? And what would I even say? All this time, I'd been adamant about not dragging my friends into my bizarre life. But each day they spent in Forks, they were somehow getting in deeper and deeper; and all without any interference or encouragement on my part. Now, especially, if things were as crazy as they appeared to be and if some crazy ass, psychotic vampire who believed I was his destiny was out to get me and if my subconscious mind was somehow being taken hostage, then I had no choice left anymore. Dylan and Lisa's place in my life might already have placed them in lethal danger. The least I could do was warn them of what was coming. The only question was; how?

I also had to take into consideration the fact that I could be totally wrong about all of this. What if the whole nightmare was nothing but a figment of my imagination? Would I be putting them in more danger by exposing them to the supernatural side of life?

I threw Leah a desperate glance hoping for some contribution but she just gave me a shrug.

'_Figures! Why would Leah do anything to help me out? Come to think of it, this is more like the Leah we all know and love to hate…'_

The trilling of the phone saved me from the awkwardness.

"Hello?" I answered, hoping that it was Jacob on the other end.

"Bella, where the hell are you? Why can't I see you?" Alice; not Jacob. I sighed, mentally prepared for a firm talking to.

"I'm uh… in La Push…" I answered timidly and waited for the inevitable explosion. I didn't have to wait long.

"_Alone?_ _Now?_ At this time?" Alice's tone was incredulous. "What in the world were you thinking? It's barely light out…" I steeled myself. "Why are you there Bella?"

"I'm not alone. Dylan and Lisa are here with me." I spoke timidly, hoping to pacify her at least a little bit. "And I'm here to wait for Jake. I have to see him as soon as he gets here." I hated sounding so desperate but I really, really had to make sure; with my very own eyes; that Jacob wasn't hurt.

"You know he would've come over to see you the moment he got back, right?" Alice questioned calmly.

I nodded then realized she couldn't see me over the phone. "Yes, but I couldn't wait around for that. I just couldn't. I have to see him the moment he gets back. Please..." I couldn't help begging even though I didn't expect it to make much of a difference.

"Bella…" She sighed. "You're not making this any easier." When I remained silent, she gave another long drawn out sigh. "Well, alright then… if you _have_ to be there, I'm coming there too. Jasper, you coming?" I heard her question in shock. That's it…? No more arguing? And she really wanted to come here… to La Push? Oh boy… Leah wasn't going to like this, not one bit!

"You bet!" Jasper replied; too enthusiastic for my comfort.

"Wait a minute. Not so fast… Uh… excuse me everyone." I quickly stepped out of the house. "Alice, did you talk to him?" I spoke in a whisper, trying desperately to avoid being heard by all the superhumans I was surrounded by. "Is he okay? What about…"

"Bella, they're all okay." She hurried to reassure me. "Edward was just a little suspicious about why I was calling in the middle of my so-called vacation to inquire about his well being but other than that, he was completely hale and hearty…well… as hale and hearty as a vampire can be."

"And you didn't tell him about…?" I asked fearfully. Considering my belief that a psychotic super vamp was after my life, it wasn't such a big deal if Edward knew about my re-arrival in Forks, Washington but for some reason, I still didn't want him to know. I just wasn't ready to face him yet. I still needed a little more time… okay maybe, lots more time. Whatever, I just wasn't ready…

"Don't worry, honey. I didn't tell him anything. Not about you or Jacob or Charlie… and I didn't even think about it while I was talking to him, so you're off the hook for now. But, don't you think it's high time he knew about it? And how long are you going to keep avoiding him, Bella? You've got to face him some time…"

"Alice, _please, not now_…" I spoke desperately. "Not now. I promise I won't wait too long. And the moment we think there's any real danger involved, I promise we'll call them and talk to them. Just don't say anything to them just yet, okay?"

"I don't like it, but okay._ Fine._ You win."

"Thank you Alice, you're the best." I almost sagged in relief.

"Yeah, yeah… can we come over now?" She was beginning to sound impatient.

I sighed in resignation. My quiet, desperate trip to La Push was about to turn into a social visit. Well… there was nothing I could do about it.

"Wait, hold on, I have to clear this with Leah first." I couldn't just let them barge in on us without giving ample warning to the pack or there'd be hell to pay. I quickly walked back in the house in search of Leah. Fortunately, she was in the exact place I'd left her… in the kitchen. "Leah, Alice and Jasper are coming over." I spoke almost apologetically.

"The hell they are…" She swore succinctly. "Let me talk to the leech, right now." She demanded authoritatively.

I meekly handed the phone over and prayed that the fragile peace that existed between my two worlds wouldn't fall apart completely.

Then I couldn't worry about it anymore because Dylan and Lisa appeared more confused than ever. "Leech…?" Lisa questioned softly. "What the hell is going on Bella? I have a feeling it's something huge. What is it?"

'_Oh it's something huge alright… like massive…'_

Once again before I could even begin to formulate my thoughts there was an interruption. "Son of a bitch!" Leah exclaimed, banging her fist on the countertop. All three of us jumped at the unexpectedness of the noise. One quick glance revealed that she'd hung up the phone.

"What happened?" I questioned somewhat fearfully.

"They're coming over." She answered briefly… bitterly. "Apparently Jake made them swear that they'd stick to you like glue till he came back." Her gaze was almost accusing. I cringed. "Wait here. I have to call the others. Get some reinforcements. And I have to wake up Billy. I don't think he'd take too kindly to waking up to a couple of leeches in his kitchen this early in the morning." She stalked off.

'_Way to go Leah. Here I am, trying to find some way to protect my friends from knowing the ugly truth and then you have to go and make it even more difficult and complicated than it already is. Thank you very much!'_

I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender. "You're right, the both of you. There is something going on and it is big."

"I knew it!" was Dylan's smug reaction.

"But… I'm not going to be able to tell you what it is just yet." They both scowled. "Don't hold a gun to my head. You see, it's not exactly my secret to tell. Let's just wait for Alice, Jasper and Jake to come back, shall we? I need to run this by them first." I tried to appease them.

"You mean to tell us that they're all in on the secret too?" Now they sounded kind of mad. "Are we the last one's to know?"

'_Oh boy. What can I say to you? They pretty much are the secret, aren't they? I wonder how you guys will take that… and speaking of Jake, where the hell is he? And why isn't he here yet?'_

I was just about to dial Jake's number when Leah walked back into the room resignedly and plopped down on the barstool.

'_Barstool…? When did that get here?'_

"So, it's done. The leeches have been officially approved to come into our houses now." She sounded disbelieving. _'Oh boy… this doesn't bode well for me.'_ "I just spoke to Jacob, Bella. The pixie wasn't lying either. He did ask her to keep an eye on you." Now she sounded just a little bit betrayed. I didn't care at the moment.

"Where…" I began only to have her override my question. "They're on their way back as we speak. They should be here in about 45 minutes. Seth and the guys are also coming over." Now she sounded resigned. "Anyone for breakfast…?"

After last night, I wasn't sure my stomach could handle any kind of food without protesting strenuously. Besides, I still couldn't be a hundred percent certain that given half a chance, Leah wouldn't try to poison me and I wasn't about to take any chances. "No" was my reply. "Sure" Dylan replied at approximately the same time.

"Did somebody mention breakfast?" Paul, Seth, Colin and Brady almost tumbled into the room, looking somewhat unkempt; as if they hadn't slept the whole night; as if they were just coming back from a long night of patrols.

I winced in sympathy. Apparently I wasn't the only one who'd had a rough night.

"Hey Bella, how're you doing?" Seth asked as soon as he laid eyes on me. He threw a worried glance in Leah's direction. "Everything okay?"

Thankfully she was too distracted to notice. I nodded at him, grateful for his concern. And I wasn't lying, not completely. Now that I knew Jake was on his way, safe and sound, I was feeling much better already.

"Okay… so, breakfast…" Leah seemed like she was more than a little out of her element. "Well, alright then, how hard can it be, right?" She mumbled to herself. She walked towards the kitchen cabinets and began eyeing them contemplatively. "Hmmm, eggs… yes, I can do those." She sounded purposeful.

"_You're_ cooking?!?" Paul actually sounded horrified. "Uh…I just realized that I'm actually not really hungry."

Leah threw him such a furious glance that the other boys decided that it'd be in their best interests to keep their mouths shut and suffer in silence. But they all threw beseeching glances in my direction that I temporarily chose to ignore.

I wasn't completely leaving them hanging. I knew I'd eventually cave and volunteer my services but I honestly felt that Leah needed to do this. She looked like she would go crazy just sitting around doing nothing. I knew exactly how she felt. At such times even small things like making breakfast felt like major accomplishments. I'd wait and see how things went. If and _only if_ she needed any help would I offer to pitch in. I could do this for her, especially since she'd been kinda nice to me this morning…

So, I kept silent as she awkwardly removed some pots and pans from the cabinets and a large box full of eggs from the refrigerator. As I looked on in barely concealed concern; after several failed attempts, she managed to get the coil heated up. She even managed to get the appropriate utensil greased and onto the coil.

So far so good… I was beginning to think that she wasn't as lost as I first thought she'd be when she cracked open an egg on the edge of the counter and it disintegrated completely, running down the counter messily and depositing in a glob down on the kitchen floor. She screeched in frustration; I managed to hide my wince just in time.

I noticed that her hands were shaking badly. She was much more upset than she was letting on and despite knowing her feelings for me, I couldn't help but want to give her a hug. I would've done it too, except for the fear that she'd smack me on the head for even trying.

As I looked on, she took another egg out of the container and improvised, using a spoon handle to crack it open, which worked just fine, but then the moment the egg hit the hot pan and sizzled, she shrieked loudly. Everyone jumped in fright; the pack glancing around wildly for whatever had apparently attacked us and I realized that I couldn't hold off on my help any longer.

"Fuck it all to hell!!" She looked like she'd like nothing better than to smash the cooking utensils out of shape. Yup… definitely time to jump in for the rescue!

I went up to her and laid my hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you go join the guys, Leah? I'll take care of breakfast." I said gently. I didn't have to be a werewolf to hear the six sighs of relief coming from the occupants of the room.

She gave me a shamefaced look and reluctantly gave over possession of the spatula. "Thank you, Bella. I'm really glad you're here. I'm definitely out of my depth here." I looked into her eyes and they seemed to be conveying a lot more than she was saying out loud. I could be mistaken but I had a feeling that in her own way she was saying sorry for her previous treatment of me. I was more than a little shocked. I didn't know what had made her change her opinion of me but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. And I also wasn't petty enough to make her actually go through the torment if saying the words out loud. She was sorry and I knew it. That was good enough for me.

I gave her a tiny but heartfelt smile. "You're welcome Leah." Her face lit up in a brilliant smile. She grasped my hand and gave it a firm squeeze, then she mouthed, "I'm really sorry, Bella." So I'd gotten the words too. My heart melted at the genuine sorrow in her eyes. I squeezed right back and mouthed, "It's alright." Wow, when I'd decided to come here today, I definitely hadn't expected this to come out of it… but, heck, I'd take it.

"So, uh, Leah, I could actually use a little help. Would you mind?" I asked, hoping that whatever had just gone on between us, I hadn't mistaken the significance of it.

"Yeah, sure, I'd love to. But I have to give you fair warning. I suck at any kind of domesticity… but especially at cooking. Could you, uh, maybe… someday…teachmehowtocook?" She blurted out hurriedly.

I didn't know what to say. I was touched beyond words. "I'd love to." I couldn't avoid the bright sheen to my eyes and turned away from her quickly, hoping she'd been too distracted to see it.

"So, does anyone here have any special requests or are scrambled eggs fine with everyone?" I spoke in an effort it distract everyone.

"Ummm, Izzy, can we have some pancakes and syrup? I mean, you do make the world's best pancakes and it's been ages since you've made them and…" Dylan had the puppy dog look down pat.

I sighed. "Alright, Dylan, you don't have to butter me up. Pancakes it is…"

"Alright!" Dylan crowed delightedly and gave Seth, of all people, a high five.

Apparently there'd been a conspiracy. Damn, I was such a sucker. "Anything else…?"

"Could we also have omelets instead of the scrambled eggs and maybe some bacon too?" Wow, how did Colin and Brady catch on to Dylan's technique so quickly?

What was it with these boys and food anyway? They always behaved like they hadn't been fed in ages. And how unfair was it that they ate the way they did and still managed to look like Greek Gods? And here we mere mortals had to count every calorie we ate _and_ work our asses off in the gym if we didn't want to bloat up like balloons. Ugh! Life was so unfair!

"Yes, alright… Pancakes and omelets and bacon…" I knew what Lisa's demand would be even before she opened her mouth. "…and buttered toast coming right up…" Lisa gave me a happy grin.

Since I was apparently going to be cooking for what felt like an entire battalion, I opened the refrigerator and surveyed the contents. "Alright then, Seth, Brady, I want you to run and get me another couple dozen eggs and two loaves of bread. Leah, Lisa, start chopping onions and bell peppers for the omelets. Paul, Colin, why don't you go and tell Kim, Emily and the girls that we're having breakfast here. OH and see if you can get Claire too." I honestly didn't know what was going on but whatever it was, I felt it was better to have everyone right here, where I could keep an eye on them. "Dylan, I want you to set the table, can you manage that? And after you're done with that, call Renee and tell her to come on over…" I commanded like a drill sergeant. "Come on, people, let's do this."

Soon the entire kitchen was bustling with activity and enticing aromas of food were wafting around. Billy wheeled himself into the ensuing chaos and breathed in deeply. "Goddamn, it's good to have you back, Bella." He muttered appreciatively. "It's been forever since this kitchen's been used for anything other than eating take away food." He held his arms out till I bent down to give him a hug. "Bless you honey. I just wish your old man could've joined us." He sounded wistful.

I sniffed emotionally. "He will be here with us very soon, Billy. The doctor did say yesterday that he might be ready to be released within the week. And I tell you what…? As soon as he's cleared for it, we'll celebrate his recovery with a huge party held right here. And I'll cook then too. That'll give your kitchen some more use. Sound good…?"

He smiled at me happily but I could also see a somewhat calculating look in his eyes. "What…?" I asked curiously.

"Oh nothing… I was just hoping that you taking over charge of this kitchen might become a somewhat permanent state of affairs…" It took me a couple of minutes to catch his drift but when I did get it, I couldn't help but blush under his scrutiny. Behind my back, I could sense the pack members and my friends throwing each other sly glances. "Still too early to talk about it, I see." He gave me a mischievous smile. "Never mind… we'll discuss it later, when you've gotten used to the idea and don't feel quite so self conscious about it…"

Paul and Colin's arrival with Kim, Emily and the girls saved me from further mortification.

From the instant Jackie and Jamie walked into the room, instant mayhem ruled.

The twins, being the first of the pack babies, reigned supreme and had everyone twisted around their gorgeous little fingers.

"Aunt Leah, Aunt Bella, what're you doing? Are you making breakfast? Can we help?" They ran and dragged over a couple of chairs towards the counter and nimbly climbed on them to peer into the pans. "Ummm, yummy… pancakes! Mommy, Aunt Bella is making pancakes. How'd you know they were our favorite, Aunt Bella? Can you do ours like smiley faces? Did you know they were Uncle Jake's favorites too? Is that why you're making them?" they chattered incessantly.

"Umm… uhhh… no… actually, I like them too… and yes, uh, I can do smiley faces." I stuttered awkwardly. Thankfully, they quickly lost interest in pursuing that line of questioning. "You promised you'd come and play with us." They accused. "We got a new Barbie. We named her Bella. Will you come to see her soon? She's pretty like you are." Oh, they were so glorious… so innocent and so heart wrenchingly beautiful. How could anyone ever refuse them?

"Yes, I'll come over to see her soon." I said my heart filled to overflowing and my eyes glossy with unshed tears.

"Tomorrow?" They asked hopefully.

"Alright, tomorrow… if that's alright with your mommy, that is." I threw Emily an apologetic glance.

"Is it okay if Aunt Bella comes over tomorrow mommy? Please?" They pleaded innocently.

"Of course, it's okay. Aunt Bella can come over anytime she wants to." Emily gave me a searching look, trying to make sure, I think, that I was okay with this. I gave her a reassuring smile. Suddenly, I realized, that this… being around kids… didn't hurt as much as it would've a couple of days ago. To be honest I don't think it'd ever stop hurting completely but it appeared as if talking to Jake about it had made the worst of the pain go away. Just another thing to be grateful to him for…

Having gotten what they wanted, Jackie and Jamie turned their charms onto everyone else. "Grandpa Billy! Will you tell us the story about Cinderella again? About how she became a princess…?" And Billy, the old softie, caved…

"Dammit, no, no, no, no, NO!" Leah suddenly yelled out behind me.

"What? What happened?" I rushed to her side quickly, only to discover the omelet she was supposed to be supervising burnt to a crisp as Leah looked on helplessly. I didn't know how to react. "It's alright. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." I reassured her calmly. I took over the spatula and set about trying to separate the black, congealed mass from the pan.

It was into that scene of domesticity that Jacob and the guys walked in. "Do I smell _burnt_ food?"

The spatula dropped from my hand as I whirled around at the sound of his voice. "Jacob!" I gasped with a mixture of relief and joy but my voice was lost in the mayhem surrounding us.

"Uncle Jake!!" The twins forgot the story they were supposed to be listening to and practically threw themselves into his open arms. He picked them both up easily, one in each arm. "Whoa! You guys are getting bigger by the day. Did you grow taller since the last time I saw you?" He questioned them seriously.

"How is that even possible, Uncle Jake? You just saw us yesterday!" Jackie explained patiently as if dealing with someone slow; with an intensity that's somehow common to all kids. "Humans don't grow up so quickly."

"Is that so?" Jake could barely contain his amusement. "Wow, I never knew!"

All through this explanation, Jamie had a slight pout on her lips. "Uncle Jake, how old will you be when I'm ten?"

He pretended to give it some thought. "Let's see. I'm twenty four right now. So, that means, I'll be thirty by the time you're ten."

"How about when I'm twenty?" She asked persistently.

"Well, then I'll be forty." He replied seriously.

Jamie frowned, not happy with that answer. "When will I be as old as you?"

"Um, why would you want to be as old as me?" Jake asked curiously.

"Well, how else can I marry you?" She answered hesitantly causing all of us to instantly forget our worries and break out into indulgent smiles.

"You better be careful, Izzy. Seems, you have some very tough competition for Jake's affection." Dylan whispered into my ear. I made my feelings on the subject clear by swatting him hard on the head.

"Awww, you can marry me anytime sweetie. Right now, if you want to. You don't have to be as old as me for that." Jake answered softly, seriously, making my heart clench at the tenderness in his eyes. He really loved these girls; I could see that in his eyes. He'd make such a great father some day, I just knew it.

Jamie blushed. "Not right now. I think Daddy would be kinda upset."

"You're damn right I would be! Stay away from my little girls Jacob and stop corrupting them." Sam mock threatened.

"Alright, alright…not right now then. We'll talk about this when you grow up, okay?" He spoke in a theatrical whisper. Jamie nodded happily.

Emily laughingly interrupted the tender moment. "But Jamie, didn't you want Aunt Bella to marry Uncle Jacob just a few days ago?"

I turned tomato red; suddenly finding myself to be the center of some intense scrutiny. I shyly met Jake's eyes and the wicked gleam in them made me feel like I'd just run a full marathon; uphill.

"Hmmm…now _there's_ a brilliant plan…" He spoke huskily, holding me captive within his blazing eyes.

"No! I changed my mind. I want to marry him now!" Jamie was mutinous, causing the sudden tension between us to break away into laughter.

"Okay, okay… let's not get upset over it. You know that you and Jackie are both my number one girls, right?" He appeased Jamie gently. "Anyway, tell me what's going on here." He asked the girls to fill him in, in an effort to distract them.

"Aunt Bella and Aunt Leah are making us breakfast. Pancakes." The girls declared happily. "Aunt Bella is making smiley faces. Aunt Leah can't do anything."

"Hey!" Leah tried to sound affronted but couldn't quite manage it with the indulgent grin fixed firmly on her face.

Jake took in the chaos in the kitchen quietly and analyzed the situation in mere seconds. "Clearwater, didn't anyone ever tell you that culinary skills are important?" He teased while gently lowering the twins back to the ground.

"Shut it, Black! It's not like you're so much better at it anyway." Leah growled right back.

"Yeah, but he's a man. He has other talents. He can get away with not cooking." Paul blundered in, managing to instantly raise the hackles on every woman present there.

"What the hell does that mean you chauvinistic pig?" Leah was almost snarling in her fury.

Jake shook his head morosely before once again focusing his attention in my direction. "You okay, Bells?" He questioned me earnestly.

"What _does_ it mean?" Leah apparently didn't take too kindly to being reminded that she was a woman and was in no way willing to let Paul get away with that comment.

It felt as if Jakes question unlocked the shackles that had held me in my place until then. I didn't care that the room was crowded with our friends and family. I didn't even care that almost everyone present there was throwing speculative glances between both of our faces. All I cared was that he was here and he was safe. I ran towards him and threw myself into his arms, hugging him as close to me as I possibly could. He easily picked me up till my face was level with his and my legs were completely off the ground. I buried my face into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. "You're here."

"I told you I would be. I'm not in the habit of breaking my promises." I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"No, you're not." I couldn't help smiling too. It was insane how just his presence could suddenly make everything right with my world. Last night seemed like a far way off with his sunshine lighting up my world.

He carefully set me down on my feet; scrutinized my face, probed my eyes. "You okay, honey? Because you look like shit."

Laughter bubbled up my throat. "Gee, thanks!"

"Hey I tell it like I see it." He said with an adorable grin.

"Well you don't look so hot yourself Black!" I retorted.

"Who, me…?" He gave me a wounded look. "Come on, how can you even say that? I always look hot babe." He winked at me, immediately making me feel weak in the knees.

"Jokes apart, are you sure you're really okay?" He asked getting serious. "You sounded really upset last night."

I gave him an equally sincere answer. "Yeah I'm fine…now that you're here."

He smiled his usual gut wrenching smile. "Good. Glad I could help."

"So, now that you guys are here, can we finally know what the hell's going on? And how're things at the office?" Seth questioned somberly.

Just like that, as if a switch had been thrown, the laughter drained away leaving behind a deep melancholy.

"Let's eat first. We're starving." Jake said brusquely. I knew he was trying to deflect the topic to neutral topics taking into account that there were a number of 'non-aware' people present here.

Silence reigned as everyone tucked into their food. Before I knew it, all the food that I'd slogged to prepare was a thing of the past and all that was left in evidence was a mountain of dirty plates.

Just as I was mentally preparing myself for a marathon cleaning up session, Jake grabbed my hand and pulled me aside. "You want to go for a walk on the beach?"

"I'd love to. But…" I threw a glance at the dirty dishes. "…I can't. I have to help clean this up."

He whistled sharply till he had everyone's attention. "Bella and I are heading to the beach. Since she cooked, I imagine everyone will help clean up." It wasn't really a question, more like an order. "Thanks. After everyone's done here, why don't you all come on over? We'll discuss specifics then. In the meantime, Sam, Embry, why don't you take this opportunity to fill everyone in on the details of last night?" He threw over his shoulder while already pulling me towards the door. I threw everyone an apologetic glance.

"Izzy…?" Dylan's voice was full of questions.

"Oh, gosh Dylan, I know I promised I'd tell you everything but can we do it later, please? I really need to talk to Jake right now…" I tried my own version of the puppy dog look on him and prayed desperately that it'd work.

"Oh, alright…" He gave in without an argument.

'_Note to self – puppy dog definitely works, try it more often.'_

"Thanks, guys… you'll be okay…?"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine. You don't need to babysit us. I doubt of your friends are planning to torture us while you're gone. Just go already! But when you come back, you better be prepared to spill your guts!" Dylan spoke impatiently.

I had to go and give him a kiss for being so understanding. It definitely didn't hurt that it served a dual purpose of making Jake jealous.

'_You're an evil genius…'_

Jake growled low in his throat at my display of affection for Dylan and grabbed a hold of my hand; pulling me towards the door hastily.

Just as we reached the door, I remembered and a cold shudder that had nothing to do with the atmosphere passed through me. Suddenly, all the things from my dream that I'd been trying to push to the back of my mind came rushing to the forefront. A cold feeling of dread seeped in. "Oh my God, Jake, I can't believe I forgot all about this but Alice and Jasper were supposed to get here a while ago. Why aren't they here yet?" I was almost hyperventilating. "What if something happened to them?"

"Bella. Hey, hey… Bella. Bells, honey, you need to relax." He placed his hands on both sides of my face, holding me still and ensuring that I met his eyes. "Don't worry, baby. I spoke to Alice as I was getting here. She and Jasper are doing a little itty-bitty task for me and will be meeting us down at the beach in a little while."

I literally sagged in relief. "Oh thank God…"

"Alright, that's it. You're going to tell me what's bothering you right now. I let it go last night 'cause you were too hysterical to say anything but I think it's high time you told me why it was so important to you that I came back so quickly." He walked briskly towards his car and helped me in then drove quickly towards First Beach.

The moment we reached our favorite spot, he sat down on the sand with the driftwood at his back and offered me his hand, pulling me down to sit between his thighs, with my back flush to his chest. Then he tightly wrapped his arms around me, forming a cocoon of warmth around me. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes, absorbing the beauty and serenity of our surroundings and gathering our thoughts.

"So, your friends are getting suspicious, huh?" Jake asked out of the blue.

"Um hmmm… And I don't know what to say Jake. Should I tell them? I'm terrified to. I don't want to put them in danger but I can't help but think that maybe not telling them is more risky somehow! At least if they know, they'll take extra precautions, right? But what if they think I'm a freak and run as far away from me as they possibly can? I've lost so much in life; I don't want to lose them too."

"What nonsense!" Jake scoffed. "Of course they won't think you're a freak 'cause you aren't one. And they won't run away, no matter how much I wish they will." I threw him a stern glance only to see the mischievous grin on his face.

Then he became serious. "I don't mind if you tell them Bella. I don't care that they'll know my secret. They're both good people, I can sense it. I have good instincts; like when I knew I had to tell you about my secret back in school… look how well that panned out. And right now, my instincts are telling me that your friends aren't going to freak out and run to the authorities or some 'Fox Mulder' type to spill their guts. Our secret will be safe with them. Anyway, it's your choice, of course. But if you do decide to tell them, know that I'll support you in your decision."

"Thanks Jake…" I was relieved and bolstered by the fact that he so obviously trusted me to make the right choice about this.

"You're welcome, honey." He reassured me gently. "Alright, now spill…" He ordered firmly.

And just like that it all came tumbling out, the first dream from so long ago, then the one from last night, the fear, the terror, everything…

By the time I was finished, I was shaking like a leaf and Jake was holding me tightly, making soothing noises, "Shh, shhh, calm down honey. Shh… Don't worry. I'm right here. I'll take care of you. I'll protect you. Shhh…"

Slowly as his words penetrated, my trembling subsided. "I'm sorry Jake. I don't know what got into me. It just felt so real. I was just so scared. I'm sorry." I tried desperately to stem the tears that had somehow managed to escape my eyes without my knowledge.

"Bella, look at me." He commanded. I turned in his arms till his eyes met mine. "Don't ever apologize for being scared, alright honey? You don't ever have to hide anything you're feeling from me. Okay?" He pressed his warm lips against my forehead in a gesture of comfort and it was like all the tension had been drained out of my body. I sagged against his chest limply, somehow confident that I was safe here, in his arms. He'd never let any harm come to me, I knew that as clearly as I knew day from night.

"It was just a dream Bella, you know that right? And dreams, scary as they are, can't hurt you honey."

I went ramrod straight. "It wasn't just a dream. It was real. It's happening, Jake. He's…whoever he is… he's coming for me. I can feel it." I shuddered in revulsion. "It's as if a giant axe is hanging over my head; I can feel it getting closer and closer to my neck…"

"I know it must've been scary, but honey, trust me, it isn't real."

Now I was getting frustrated. "Oh yeah…? Then how come I knew what was happening? How come I knew three people in your office died before anyone even told me?" I asked belligerently.

He stiffened imperceptibly. "I don't know. I don't know anything." He growled. "Nothing makes much sense anymore! Dammit!" I could feel him consciously taking in deep breaths of air. The next time he spoke he seemed calmer somehow, more focused… "Maybe you heard me telling Alice and Jasper yesterday…?"

I bristled. "No! How could I have heard you, Jake? I'm a mere human, remember? And you were doing your supernatural thing, talking at supersonic levels, so there's no fucking way I could've heard you and you know it. Dammit, why won't you believe me?" I asked in resignation.

"Because I don't want to!" He thundered out loud. "I _hate_ even the thought of you being in any kind of danger, dammit! In fact, I don't want to think about it. I've just got you back, honey. I don't even want to think about anything that might take you away from me." He spoke brokenly. "Besides, I saw the crime scene, remember? And no matter how terrible it was, there was no way that was done by a vampire." He sounded confident, yet somehow lost.

I turned to look at him again, only to cringe visibly at the agony reflected in his eyes. "Talk to me…" I urged him softly.

"It was awful." He whispered harshly. "God, I'd never seen anything so awful. I can't even close my eyes without thinking about it. God, Bells, there was so much blood!!" He sounded as if he was being tortured. I twisted around haphazardly, instinctively wrapping my arms around him, hoping to impart some of the same comfort he'd given me a while back. After a few minutes of holding himself still, he shuddered and his arms came around me reflexively.

For a long time all he did was hold me. Then, in a quiet whisper he informed me, "They didn't die due to exsanguination Bella." I stiffened in horror. "All of them had their throats slit open and they all bled to death. Their bodies were lying there in a pool of their own blood. No vampire would've ever been able to resist such a feast. That's why I don't think it's a real threat. That's what I've been trying to tell you, to convince you of. It was just a dream, Bella. Believe me."

"Are you sure?" I asked him urgently.

"Yes honey…" Looking into his eyes, I knew he really believed what he was saying.

It was as if a huge burden had been lifted off my mind. Suddenly, despite the severity of the situation I felt light and free and happy. I threw my arms around his neck giddily.

He hugged me back, but there was a kind of desperation about his embrace. I drew back to look into his eyes. They were filled with a deep, abiding sense of loss. "I didn't protect them, Bells. I couldn't keep them safe." His voice broke. "I failed…"

There were no bounds to my guilt. Here I was, celebrating when Jake was going through something so godawful. I was a horrible, terrible person. I hugged him tighter and began placing light, tiny kisses all over his face. "Oh, no Jake, don't blame yourself, honey. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything to help them…"

"That's where you're wrong. I could have helped them and I _should_ have…" He sounded like he was desperately holding back his tears.

My heart broke for him. "Oh honey, don't! Don't do this to yourself. Don't beat yourself up over this. I know you honey, you're the strongest and the best person I know. If there was any way for you to help them, I'm sure you would've done so without hesitation, even at the cost of your own safety. But there was no way for you to know. It's done now. Let it go, please. Don't torment yourself over it…"

I pressed a fleeting kiss on his lips, meaning for it to be a comforting gesture. But the moment my lips touched his, it was as if a dam inside him broke. He groaned as if he was in tremendous pain and captured my lips with his desperately.

"Bella…my Bella. My angel…" He muttered feverishly. "Only you can make the pain go away. Make it go away honey, please…"

I was helpless against the flood of emotion he aroused within me. Surprisingly… ridiculously, I was the stronger one right now. He was in need of comfort and _I_ was the one providing it. A fiercely protective instinct bloomed in my chest. He needed _me_. It was a heady feeling.

I decided to take charge of the situation and placed my hands on both of his cheeks, kissing him sweetly. I tried to put all of my feelings, all the tenderness I felt for him into the kiss. It was not a kiss of passion, instead it was meant to convey comfort; to soothe, to console; to reassure him of my support and it remained that way… sweetly innocent… for all of the three seconds it took for him to participate.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the embrace went from soothing and comforting to hot and desperate and needy.

His tongue nudged my lips open and I willingly surrendered myself to the passion he ignited within me.

There was an urgency to him, a desperation… that had never been present before. It almost felt like he was trying his level best to devour me.

Before I knew it, I was lying flat on my back and his body was pressing me down into the sand. The weight of him felt unbelievably good; his hard, muscled body touching every inch of mine; his incredible hardness nestling against the 'V' of my thighs…

I pulled away, gasping for breath.

He groaned his displeasure. "No, don't stop. Help me forget, Bells. I need you." He demanded pulling me back into his arms.

His lips crashed down on mine forcefully, his teeth nibbling on my bottom lip, his tongue seeking permission to enter my mouth and play with mine. He took his time kissing me, exploring each inch of my mouth, slowly… drawing it out till we were both crazy with desire.

Once I was completely pliant in his arms, his eyes; heavy lidded and hooded with desire; undertook a leisurely journey down my face to my neck and finally on to my heaving chest. The look was so intense; I actually felt it like a physical touch, sending tingles racing up and down my spine. I squirmed uncomfortably under it.

Then, quite deliberately, he ran the tip of his fingers lightly across the sliver of flesh between my jeans and my top. I felt the touch like a bolt of electricity, throughout my entire body; from the top of my head to the tip of my toes and everywhere in between…

A shudder passed through me and he smiled triumphantly as he felt it.

He knew exactly what he was doing to me… he knew he was driving me insane… and he loved it.

His eyes asked for cursory permission, for his hands to continue taking the liberties that the rest of his body was already taking… to touch, to taste, to seduce…

I was powerless. I couldn't deny him anything at this point.

I lost my breath in the next moment, as heart in my throat, I followed the trail his hands blazed across my skin… up my stomach, down the sides, around to my back and then… when I was certain he'd drive me insane with the waiting and the wanting…finally, _finally_ over my breasts.

I moaned, arching into his touch, unconsciously begging for more. His nimble fingers toyed lovingly with me, pinching, tweaking, molding the aroused peaks. I couldn't stop the incoherent gasps from escaping my lips.

"Should I stop?" Jake inquired huskily.

"God no…" I gasped breathlessly. "Don't you dare…"

The look on his face was one of utter concentration; like he was trying to figure out the theory of relativity, solve the hunger crisis of the whole world and figure out a cure for Cancer all at the same time.

It was flattering as hell to be the focus of such intense concentration.

"Good, cause' I didn't intend to, but I wanted to make sure that you were on the same page…" His voice was pure seduction; confidence oozing out of every pore of his skin …

This time when he raised my tank top till it was tucked under my chin, there wasn't even the slightest hint of hesitation or the pretense of asking for any permission. He knew I wouldn't object. He knew I wanted it too…

His gaze immediately dropped to my exposed breasts and his eyes darkened further with passion. I was so lost in watching him watch me that I didn't immediately realize his intentions. Thus, when his warm, wet lips closed around my nipple kissing, sucking, nibbling greedily, it came as a complete surprise.

My body arched off the ground. He placed one hand under my back, supporting my weight and pulled more of my breast into his mouth. His mouth suckling my nipple was the most incredible…the most intense feeling I'd ever felt and I never wanted him to stop. I plowed both my hands through his hair, holding his head in place; willing him to continue doing what he was with everything in me…

I'd long given up any effort to gain control of my lungs. It was a lost cause to begin with. Now, I wasn't even conscious of the incoherent sounds I was making and chalked them up to another side-effect of this wonderful attack on my senses.

Through my mindlessness, I became aware of his other hand – the one not playing with my breast – inching lower down my body, towards the juncture of my legs and I froze; my whole being focused on just that one sensation now.

"Bella…?" He questioned, his breath as ragged as my own.

All of a sudden I was glaringly aware of my surroundings; aware that it was broad daylight; aware that we were lying on a public beach, in view of everyone who might happen to pass by; aware that maybe – as seemed to always be the case with us – this wasn't the right time or the place to do this…

Dammit, what was with our seriously skewed sense of timing…?

"Jake…" I warned sorrowfully, my hand reaching out to discourage his touch.

"Bella… let me do this. I feel like I'll die if I don't touch you right now." His voice was rough with unadulterated passion. "Let me just feel you once, honey. Do you have any idea how unfair this is? You know exactly how much I want you." He thrust his hips against mine insistently, underlining his words; making sure that I was vividly aware of the _level_ of his desire. "I just wanna know how much you want me too. Let me feel you baby. Let me feel how wet I make you…"

I was defenseless against this new assault on my senses. I couldn't lie, I wanted it… badly. And he wanted it. We both wanted it. So why was I resisting so much? I brazenly grabbed his hand and guided his fingers to the place that we were both desperate for them to be.

His fingers edged past the satin and lace to come into contact with my wet heat; we both moaned simultaneously in an odd combination of relief and frustration.

Even as a teenager, Jake had always been great with his hands. This point was driven home to me once again when he put those same, magic hands to work on me, eliciting responses from me that I'd never experienced before. He boldly thrust his fingers into me while running his thumb over my swollen clit and my whole body clenched in response. "Oh, Jake…" I moaned breathily…

"_Fuck_…" He voiced harshly. "You're so fucking _wet_, Bella. God…" His voice was tinged with something akin to reverence. "And you smell _so_ fucking delicious…"

He pulled his hand out of my panties and slowly licked first one and then the other finger clean, savoring my taste. "Ummmm… you taste even better…"

By this time, I was trembling almost as violently as he was. I badly wanted him to finish what he'd started; I wanted to claw at him till he gave us the release that we both so obviously and so desperately craved; but I also knew I couldn't let this get that out of hand… not here, not right now.

Looking up into his passion clouded eyes, I realized that this time, he was too far gone to stop. This time, I had to be the strong one. "Jake…" I spoke regretfully. "We can't… We have to stop, honey. We can't do this here, no matter how much we both want to."

He pulled away reluctantly and I had the distinct impression that my words hadn't completely penetrated yet. "You told the pack to meet us here, remember?" I reminded him gently. For a moment, he just stared at me blankly. Then, he drew back as if he'd been slapped, "Fuck! Fuck! _Fuck!!_ We can't do this now, can we? I have the worst timing, ever! God, Bells… what do you do to me? Every time I come near you, all common sense flies out the window! I want you so much! It's killing me to be this close to you and not have you!" He rested his forehead against mine as we both tried to regulate our breathing.

"Soon… soon…" I mumbled mindlessly; running my hand up and down his back soothingly; not really knowing whether I was trying to console him or myself.

"I'm sorry baby…I should never have started something we couldn't finish." He whispered sorrowfully, smoothing my tank top down tenderly.

"Ahem…" The amused clearing of a throat startled both of us out of our passion induced trance.

"Alice!" I gasped, turning a deep scarlet color in my humiliation. I scrambled out of Jake's embrace and hurriedly continued straightening my own clothes. "Jasper…" I gave them both a sickly smile. "When did you guys get here?" I couldn't believe I'd been so caught up in Jake as to be totally oblivious to our surroundings.

"We just got here, thank god cause' I have a feeling, otherwise we might've just been scarred for life" Alice's eyes were twinkling in mirth. I didn't know it was possible to die of embarrassment until that moment. If it was any consolation, Jasper seemed to be equally uncomfortable.

"Good going, wolf-boy!" Alice complimented Jake shamelessly as she took in my appearance; totally unconcerned about my state of mind. Jake, the idiot, was no different. He gave Alice a distracted but wolfish grin in response, showing no signs of embarrassment himself.

Thankfully, when he spoke, it was about whatever task he's asked Alice and Jasper to do for him. "Still nothing?" he questioned mysteriously.

That immediately sobered her up. "No. _Nothing._ Absolutely nothing." She sounded frazzled. "And no news either. It's all quiet. No whispers, no rumblings anywhere…" Alice answered in riddles. "Nothing except the obvious deaths of course! And that was just that one isolated incident. Like, there've been literally no crimes in the Seattle area in like the last 20 days! None! Zip, zilch, nada… Which is the most bizarre thing ever, because considering the size of the place, I'd have expected some criminal activity, right? Some muggings, some shootings, some burglaries… but it's all a big, fat nothing!

"How the hell is that possible?"Jake ran his hands through his hair distractedly. "And if what you're saying is right, then why was our office broken into and why were three people, harmless people at that; I mean, fuck they were in the research department; murdered? And nothing was taken from the premises either! And there were no signs of a forced entry!! God, I can't make any sense out of this mess!!" He began pacing around angrily.

"I think we need to call in the reinforcements for this." Alice looked meaningfully at Jacob as she said this.

He jerked to a stop and growled menacingly. "No _fucking_ way!"

"What's going on?" I questioned curiously.

"Jacob, I can understand your feelings on the subject, unfortunately, I don't think we have much of a choice here. Something's clearly going on here and we're all out of our depth. I don't like it, especially with Alice having the difficulties that she is. They have better connections than we do; you have to admit that at least." Jasper answered patiently; all three of them conveniently ignoring that I'd asked them a question.

"There's a choice. There's _always_ another choice. That can't be our only option." I could almost feel the waves of anger coming off Jake.

"I've considered all the possibilities Jacob and it's inevitable. It is also the only viable option we have at the moment. Look, it might be nothing. There might be nothing supernatural about any of this and all of us might be safe, but it doesn't hurt to be careful just in case, right?" Alice explained her voice shrill with a sense of urgency.

The way they were ignoring me was beginning to piss me off. "Hey! What the _fuck_ are you guys talking about?" I demanded authoritatively.

All three of them looked at me in surprise. I had the distinct feeling that they'd forgotten that I was there.

Of the three of them, only Jake had the good grace to look abashed. "I'm sorry Bells. I'd asked Alice and Jasper to discreetly hunt around for some answers into the break-in at the office. They were supposed to tap their supernatural sources for information. But apparently they weren't able to get anything. Also, Alice is a little worried that for some reason she isn't able to see anything about it either. So, her… their suggestion is that we call in the rest of their family… especially their super talented _brother_, to further the investigation!" He spat out viciously.

It took a moment for his words to sink in. "No… no… NO!" I yelled disbelievingly. I couldn't come to terms with any of this. It was crazy…insane. How could they be talking about bringing Edward, the rest of the family… into this so calmly, so nonchalantly…?

Jake held me close to his body. "Now see what you've done!" He snarled. "I won't have him coming here and upsetting her, you hear? We'll find some other way to deal with this situation… a better way."

"And, suppose, insane as it sounds, if Bella's dream is real, Jacob? What if the threat is real?" Alice questioned softly. "What if there is someone out there, determined to hurt her and what if we can't see it until it's too late? Will you forgive yourself, if something happens to her or to someone else you love and you know that you didn't use all the means at your disposal to prevent it?"

Jake remained quiet; his only response was to hold me even tighter.

My heart was thudding in my chest. "So, you think it _is_ real, the danger…?" I asked fearfully. "Did you lie to me when you said it was just a dream?" I asked Jake querulously, feeling incredibly betrayed.

"No! _No!_ We don't know!" The frustration in Jake's voice was clear. "I still don't believe it's the work of a vampire. In fact, I'm almost certain it isn't. I just can't bet your safety on it though." He sounded resigned.

"This morning onwards, I can't see anything, no matter how hard I try to." Alice hastened to explain. "Not even the little day-to-day things that I normally see. It feels like my power is blocked somehow, like how your sense of smell is blocked by a cold. I can't see anything! That's why I need all of them. We're stronger together. Besides, Edward has always complimented my power, focused it. I need him here." She informed Jacob firmly.

Then, she turned her attention towards me. "It's time, Bella. It's time to face your demons and lay them to rest. It's time to face up to your past. It's time to bring the rest of the family home, Bella. It's time to bring Edward home."

"But don't you see; if the threat is real, then this… bringing them back is the absolute worst thing you can ever do...?" I was grasping at straws, desperate to regain my equilibrium, desperate to dial time back to a few hours ago when I didn't have to face the prospect of coming face to face with my ex-husband again. "My dream indicated that all of you were in danger. So, you should all be going as far away from me as you possibly can. The last thing you want to do is get the others here so that they're in danger too." My breath was coming in shallow pants.

"Don't worry baby." Jake crooned comfortingly. "You're safe. We're safe. Everyone's safe. Nothing's going to happen to any of us, especially you. If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm going to keep you safe, I swear."

'_Good Lord… what if it was really happening? Were they walking into a trap? Was everyone; my friends, my family; in mortal danger just like I'd dreamt?_

_And Edward… oh God, Edward! I'd have to finally deal with him face to face after three years of avoiding him like the plague! How was I going to do that without collapsing from the sheer strain of it…? Oh God… I really didn't want to face him…_

_But it was unavoidable. I had no choice in the matter anymore, unless running away once again was a choice. No, it wasn't. I wouldn't abandon my parents, my friends, Jake; not one more time. So, I'd have to face my past after all, just like Alice had said. My time had apparently run out…'_

My brain shut off from the overload of emotions I was feeling. All I could think was, this couldn't be happening, not to me.

I could vaguely make out that Alice, Jasper and Jake were talking furiously among themselves but I couldn't make myself care about the content of the discussion. All I could make out was Jake's sudden declaration, "Right, that's it. I'm taking her home. When the other's get here, let them know that I left, okay? And tell them I'll talk to them later."

They must've agreed because then, my world was abruptly unbalanced and I felt a constant, rhythmic motion. I focused myself enough to sense that Jake was carrying me in his arms. The next thing I knew he was lowering me into my bed and kissing me goodnight.

I caught hold of his arm just as he straightened up. "Stay" I pleaded in a desperate whisper.

"You sure?" He asked hesitantly. I nodded in response. He looked at me contemplatively for a couple of seconds before coming to a decision. "Right, scoot over."

I moved sluggishly, making room for his large frame in my bed. The moment he lay down, I snuggled as close to him as I possibly could without actually climbing onto his body. He turned onto his side, holding me close with both his arms thrown around me protectively. "Sleep" he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. In the safety of his arms, I allowed myself to let go of my consciousness and let the darkness take over.

An indeterminate amount of time later, I opened my eyes to the feral, red eyes of my own, personal demon looking down on me.

On some level, my mind recognized that this was just a dream but that didn't make the fear any less potent.

"You filthy whore! You disgusting, filthy, dirty whore!! You let that disgusting mongrel touch you even after I made it clear that you belonged to me…?" I trembled in fear; in awe of his towering rage.

"N…n…no…" I whimpered.

"_Liar!_ I can still smell him on you, you slut. I know he's in your bed." He flounced around furiously.

"You'll pay for this. You both will. Just wait till I get my hands on you, _darling_ Bella." He snarled. "I'll make you wish you'd never laid eyes on your precious Jacob. I was already planning to kill him but now… now… I think I'll make you _beg_ for his death!"

**A/N: - So, there it is people! Edward's baaaack!! What do you think, huh? And how about that Vlad, huh? Is he scary or what? Anyway, hope you guys like, so far… If you do, you know what you need to do. Yes, that's right. Let me know! Remember, more reviews equal to quicker updates! **

**Oh, btw, there's an important announcement to make, I'm going to be out of country for the next two months and I just wanted to warn y'all that the updates might be few and far between starting now through that time. I will of course, still be writing, but I don't know how much time I'll be able to dedicate to it, honestly. So, there might even be a scenario where in I might not be able to update at all. I know, I know… that's terrible but it might come to that, so I'm saying sorry in advance. I'll try really hard to not let it happen but I just wanted to give y'all fair warning just in case. I just wanted to reassure you guys that I will NOT be abandoning this story, so don't be worried about that, okay? No matter what happens, I'll be back to writing full throttle in mid December.**

**Again, remember, if I get more reviews I'll be much more motivated to write more often and post as quickly as possible!! **

**As usual, a HUGE thank you to Cheryl and Ashley, my wonderful, super brilliant betas. The story wouldn't even be half as good as it is without their inputs and suggestions. They put up with all of my insane insecurities and answer all my questions, no matter how many times I ask them and address all my doubts and give me amazingly great suggestions all of the time! I am constantly amazed and grateful for all of their support and help. Thank you Cheryl. Thank you Ashley. Love you both.**

**I also want to thank my brilliant, super amazing soulmate, Erin, who's kindly agreed to be (was forced into being... :P) my lemon consultant! She is truly, **_**truly**_** wonderful and I am grateful for all her help and support. Thank you babe. Love you to pieces. **

**Anyway, it seems like I've done my job. Now it's up to you guys to do yours. Hit that review button and let me know what you think. **


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Disclaimer: - Don't really own any of the characters; except for the sexy Jacob in my head. He belongs exclusively to me! So, hands off ladies! :P**

**Now, I know it has been far, far too long since I updated this story, even longer than I said it would be… and I really want to apologize for the delay. For numerous reasons, which I don't want get into right now, I wasn't able to get this out as quickly as I'd wanted to. But, I'd like to reassure everyone that I am now back to writing and hopefully, there won't be any more unprecedented delays. I sincerely hope you guys haven't given up on me and will still continue to show your love and support like you have in the past.**

**I would also like to apologize for being a lazy ass and not replying to any of your reviews for the last chapter like I usually do. But, I want you to know that I've read each and every one of them… several times, in fact, and really appreciate the time you guys took to share your opinions with me. I will be back to answering all of your reviews individually this chapter onwards. So, direct any questions/comments/suggestions you have my way and I'll be sure to reply to you as soon as possible.**

**Once again, thank you all for your patience.**

**This chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF - Erin, Ashley, Cheryl and Wendy.**

**Also, mschenke… this one's for you. Hope this brings you that little bit of happiness you were hoping for. **

**And now, without further ado… let's go on to the chapter…**

BPOV

It was a week since the break-in at Jake's office. A week since the brutal murders of Jake's colleagues… A week since the nightmare involving the scary ass-psychotic-delusional vamp…

A week in which there hadn't been much in the way of further developments… no further scares, no nightmares and definitely nothing in the way of information regarding the break-ups and the murders despite the fact the Jake had activated all of his – what I had come to discover were – considerable resources in an effort to get to the bottom of the whole situation.

Don't get me wrong, I was intensely grateful that the nightmares had stopped. And I was in no hurry for them to start again either, but I was beginning to feel rather frustrated at the total lack of information. I was almost beginning to feel like it'd all been just a dream after all, no more. The only thing that was making me feel uneasy was the fact that I'd never been that lucky in life as yet. I was, to all extents and purposes a danger magnet…

So, basically, life had currently turned into a waiting game. We were waiting for some kind of concrete leads, some breaks in the case and barring that, at least some minor bits of information regarding who or what was responsible for the horrific events.

Besides this uncertainty surrounding us, we were also still waiting for the arrival of the Cullen's who were expected on the scene any moment now. The delay in their arrival was caused by the fact that they were making some unscheduled stops so that they could tap their own resources for information along the way.

I knew all of this… but that still didn't make the wait any easier. The whole situation was frustrating to say the least. Every day, we kept expecting the worst. Every night, I was terrified to close my eyes for fear of a surprise appearance from the aforementioned psychotic vamp. Lisa or Alice had taken to sleeping near me just so I could get some semblance of rest… Meanwhile Alice was still blind.

The overwhelming tension we were all under was finally starting to get to us – tempers were running high and everyone's threshold of patience was running dangerously low. Finally, when Sam had snapped and yelled at Emily tonight over something as trivial as their car running low on gas, it'd been a final straw and we'd decided that all of us needed a break from the situation.

It being a Friday night all of us had piled into our respective cars and driven over to Port Angeles for a night of relaxation and fun.

Seth's suggestion had led us to the Pack's favorite hangout spot; a place where there was plenty of liquor, loud music and dancing – in other words, the perfect recipe for forgetting unwanted situations. He'd suggested it as a sort of relief from all the stress we'd been under recently waiting for their resources to kick in with the required information regarding my nighttime visitor.

The only objective of the evening was to have fun and to get systematically hammered which everyone; at this moment; was trying their level best to do. God, it felt good. I could actually feel the tension in my body begin to seep away.

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. You're trying to tell us that your ex-husband is a _vampire_?!?" Dylan, whispered theatrically, tossing back another round of whiskey. He was apparently still having problems getting over my announcement. And oh God, I'd apparently driven him to drink because he was already totally sloshed!

He'd had the toughest time accepting and believing the news. It'd taken Alice and Jasper's demonstration of strength and speed and Embry's demonstration of accelerated healing to finally have him give in and accept the truth.

Lisa, while shocked, was handling the news much better than Dylan was. But then, she'd always been the more open minded of the two. And she'd always been the church going, bible reading, God fearing one. Apparently, being a believer in God, made one more open to the existence of 'demons' too…

"So, like, a real, live…uh… I mean, dead, I guess… honest to goodness, vampire…? Like a blood-sucking fiend? As in, like, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' vampire…? With the fangs and the distorted features and the no soul and the indiscriminate killing and the aversion to fire, wooden stakes and crosses …?" He continued with his interrogation.

I nodded mutely, wincing internally at his colorful description. It wasn't accurate of course, but now wasn't the time to get all technical…

"And Jacob and the rest of the guys are _werewolves_?!?"

Another nod and a resigned sigh… I knew exactly where this was going. We'd had this same conversation a couple of days ago. But Dylan, being as drunk as he was right now, didn't remember it – the idiot! So I was going to have to go through the agony of it all over again…

"And they protect the humans from the vampires by killing the vampires?"

"Uh huh…"

"Wow… that makes them like _Buffy_! Brilliant! Bloody _brilliant_!!" He sounded completely awestruck.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. One look at the guys revealed a bunch of sour faces. Apparently they weren't happy about the fact that they were being compared to a girl, no matter how badass she was. I couldn't help chuckling some more.

"And you _knew_ about it? Even before you married 'Edward', you knew?"

I nodded once again, gaining some control over my amusement.

"And you married him _anyway_?" Now his voice was filled with total disbelief.

Once again, all I could do was nod but there was a definite sinking feeling in my stomach now.

'_Uh oh… here it comes…'_ I braced myself for the inevitable.

"_Holy mother of_… What the _hell_ were you _thinking_ Bella?" He questioned hotly. "Are you totally out of your _freaking_ mind? God, I need another drink!" He announced and then, "She's totally insane, isn't she?" He questioned Lisa resignedly.

"Well, yeah…" was Lisa's immediate, matter of fact response.

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

Lisa quirked her eyebrow questioningly, a comical expression on her face, "Oh you don't agree with us, do you?"

I couldn't bring myself to argue with her. Besides, there wouldn't be any point in doing so. They were both too far gone to remember any of this tomorrow. "Okay fine…" I gave in, reluctantly, "maybe I am a little insane. But I still resent you guys saying so in my presence!" I said defensively.

"Alrighty, that actually makes sense. Alright then, next time, Dylan, make sure she isn't around before calling her cuckoo, okay?" She dead panned.

"_HEY!_ Come on, you guys, that's enough. Alright, fine… I made a mistake, okay? But that doesn't make me crazy. You weren't there. You didn't know the circumstances…"

"Oh, you're right about that… we weren't there." She suddenly sounded scarily sober. "But, God, I cannot imagine any circumstance in which it makes sense to marry an undead monster and want to give up your life for him… I'm sorry Bella, I just don't get it. God, you were _eighteen_, Bella! You had the rest of your life ahead of you. What the _hell_ were you _thinking_?" She suddenly looked a little ashamed of her behavior. "Sorry, didn't mean to get all preach-y. As I was saying previously, you might've very well had your reasons for behaving the way you did but I don't think I'll ever understand them…"

I could see the entire pack discreetly nodding their heads in agreement with Dylan and Lisa's assessment and concluded that they were shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Fine! You know what…? You and Jake could form a 'Bella's an idiot' club!" I muttered in irritation.

"Hey, wow, you know, that's not a bad idea at all!" Lisa exclaimed gleefully. "Oh Jaaaake…" She called out loudly.

"What…? No!!" I was horrified at her enthusiasm. How could I have been stupid enough to bring this on myself? "God, I definitely need another drink too… Dylan, why don't you go and refresh all of our orders…" I desperately tried to break up the current conversation; changing the subject in hopes that they would be too drunk to remember and continue this conversation later.

"Uh, sure… How about you, Lee? Want a refill?" Lisa tossed back her drink and nodded. "Emily, Kim, Leah…?" All three of them had been silent spectators to the conversation although I could sense from their expressions and the not so subtle smiles on their faces that they too were in total agreement with everything Lisa and Dylan had said so far. Wow, what a shocker, huh…?

Once he had everyone's orders, Dylan stumbled off to get us the refills.

"Okay so, thank God that the doofus is finally gone." Lisa exclaimed as soon as Dylan was out of earshot, grinning idiotically. "I've been waiting to get you alone for ages but that idiot is somehow always around. I've been dying to ask – and please feel free to give me an honest answer here; in fact, I insist that you do – how in the world could you choose Edward over Jacob?!? My God, just look at him Bella. He's like a Greek God!"

Oh my God, this conversation was in no way better than the previous one!!

"He's easily the hottest thing to ever walk on two legs, don't you agree? I mean, how could you ever resist him? How could you spend even two seconds wrapped in the arms of that hot, hunky, drool-worthy specimen of the opposite sex and then let him go?!?" Lisa gave me a look of intense disbelief. "Can I just ask you…_What the hell is wrong with you?_ Have you totally lost your mind or something? Did your Mom drop you on the head when you were a baby and that somehow resulted in deadening all your senses including sight, sound, smell and touch?!?" Indignation rang through in every word that she uttered. "That's it, isn't it? That's the only possible, feasible explanation. I mean, look… _just look_…at him! God, talk about animal magnetism, talk about raw sex appeal… he's a freaking God! For heaven's sake, he looks like he's just built for fucking. Not to mention the fact that he's completely crazy about you. You really must've been blind. How else could you have _that_ within reach and not _have_ that…?" She actually made air quotation marks "… if you catch my drift…" Everyone could catch her drift, I was sure of it.

Meanwhile, 'I' was cringing with every word that came out of her mouth, dying with intense embarrassment… "Lisa!" Oh jeez… everyone single one of them could hear her, especially Jacob; the laughing smirk he threw over his shoulder at me was proof enough. The mischievously raised eyebrow just cinched the deal. I wanted to sink through the floor.

She calmly took in my horrified expression and went on as if there was nothing wrong. "What, tell me you haven't ever thought of just licking up every inch of that delectable body…? Or touching him in all those naughty, forbidden places…?" She giggled madly. "Come on, admit it… you know you want to…"

I couldn't help peeking discreetly at the pack and glumly took in the fact that they all seemed to be enjoying the current topic of conversation immensely. In fact, most of them were in stitches over Lisa's comments and the others… well, they were preening like proud peacocks – almost as if they were the ones being complimented instead of Jake.

'_Figures.'_

"I mean, I wouldn't mind having any one of those gorgeous hunks looking at me the way Jake looks at you. Not to mention the electricity that just snaps and sizzles in the room between you guys whenever he's around. It's so intense… God… I'm dying of sexual frustration here, I tell you! If I were you, I'd have jumped his bones ages ago; just saying, you know!" Lisa went on and on; sighing dreamily.

'_Oh – My – God! I was never going to live this one down… never! I was going to be tortured and tormented and teased about this when I was freaking eighty years old! Good Lord!!'_

"See, right there," She pointed between me and Jacob, who was trying his best to send me a smoldering look while trying desperately to hold on to his composure "…that's unresolved sexual tension right there, if I've ever seen it. Don't you agree, girls?" She asked Emily, Kim and Leah wickedly. "I feel like it's my duty as Bella's friend to do something to put her out of her misery and I've got a brilliant plan to accomplish that goal if I do say so myself. I say we lock Bella and Jake in a room somewhere and keep them locked till they give in and have their wild, wicked way with each other!!" She sounded entirely too gleeful for my peace of mind.

I closed my eyes miserably and proceeded to slowly and repeatedly bang my head on the tabletop, hoping for a quick death and barring that, at least a concussion resulting in total amnesia.

"What say, huh, guys? Are you with me on this? Come on, it's a brilliant idea, you know it is… Lock Bella up! Lock Bella up!!" She cheered triumphantly. "…With Jake…" She added somewhat drunkenly.

"Shhhhh…" I shushed her frantically to no avail. "Lock Bella up with Jake…" She went on unabashedly, ignoring my frantic signals for her to keep quiet.

Emily and Kim gave me sympathetic smiles, all the while trying to control their apparent mirth at the situation. Leah meanwhile, who had no such qualms just sniggered in amusement. I shot her a hot glare before clasping my hand firmly over Lisa's mouth in a desperate attempt to muffle her cheers.

"Wha…?!?" Lisa garbled and rolled her eyes at me. "Alright fine, but God, you're paranoid! He can't hear me for heaven's sake! We're all the way in this corner and the whole place is overflowing with people and the music is loud enough for my ear drums to burst. He might be a 'super-hero' but his hearing can't be that good, right? That'd make him superman and _that_ would be beyond ridiculous!!"

'_Oh, you still have no idea, do you?'_

The look in my eyes must've given Lisa some sort of indication because her eyes got as wide as saucers. "No way!! Really…? Wow!!"

The expression on her face clearly indicated that in her opinion Jake's cool factor had suddenly shot up even higher.

The girls barely managed to stifle a chuckle. I gave them a stern look trying to get them to behave.

"Ladies, here are your drinks." Thankfully, before Lisa could embarrass me even further, Dylan came over carrying a huge tray laden with tall glasses of multicolored liquids. I was so glad to see him, I could've gladly kissed him for being my knight in shining armor. "Izzy, here's your Cosmopolitan. Lee… your Cilantro Mojito. Emily, your red – cabernet; sorry they didn't have a good merlot. Leah… your vodka lime. And Kim, here's your Gin Tonic." He plopped down on the empty stool and gulped his whiskey like it was water before exhaling noisily.

"What took you so long?" I whined. _'I almost died of embarrassment while you were gone!'_ "We were all waiting for ages for our drinks over here."

"Ah, it's quite literally a jungle out there." He slurred slightly. "I almost got run over by a couple of dumb jocks on my way over. And then, I had to get away from several prowling puma's…" He winked wickedly, "…who were determined to have their wild way with me. And I did it all for you gals. I couldn't very well leave you high and dry now, could I?" He sighed melodramatically. "I mean, really, the things I do for you, Izzy… And all you do is complain? No appreciation, I tell you. There's no rest for the wicked…" He pouted mischievously.

"Awww… come here sweetie. I'm sorry I yelled at you." I pulled him closer for a hug. "You're absolutely right. I don't appreciate you enough." I gave him loud, smacking kisses on both his cheeks. "My hero…" I deliberately blinked my eyes at him adoringly, simpering foolishly and trying to hold back my smile with difficulty.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, that's more like it…" He ate up the attention and took full advantage of my closeness by wrapping both his arms around me tightly and hugging me close. "I'm glad you're finally beginning to realize my importance. Took you long enough though…" He replied cockily.

"Dude, this has got to stop!" An achingly familiar voice spoke laughingly beyond my shoulder. "Why is it that every time I turn around, I find you with your hands all over my girl?" Jake asked mock angrily.

'My girl'… what a wonderful ring that had to it…

Dylan pulled me even closer in response to Jake's teasing. "That's because '_your girl_' has the secret hot's for me, man. She can't resist me. In fact, I have it on good authority that she's just looking for ways and means to get her hands all over me all the time. Isn't that right babe?" Dylan asked me lasciviously, teasing Jake mercilessly.

Thankfully, things between Jake and Dylan had improved drastically since I'd clarified my relationship with Dylan to Jake. Once I'd convinced Jake that Dylan had no secret designs on me, Jake's attitude towards him had mellowed considerably.

And as far as Dylan's attitude towards Jake was concerned, finding out about Jake's secret identity had miraculously taken care of that. I secretly thought that the drastic change in Dylan's attitude was to do with the fact that he now had irrevocable proof that Jake could easily beat the living daylight out of him if he even so much as stepped out of line but hey, who was I to complain, right? After all, I'd gotten exactly what I wanted. And it was amazing how much impact the fear of being beaten black and blue had on one's behavior, really. Now Dylan went out of his way to ensure that he stayed on Jake's good side – well, as much as he could actually while still teasing him endlessly. Nonetheless, they'd come close to something resembling a tentative friendship in the days that followed since the disclosure.

"Is that right?" Jake asked him pseudo seriously before turning his attention to me. "Bells, what do you have to say about that? Is Dylan right? Cuz' if he is, it's not really nice to juggle around, you know. You'll be hurting both of our feelings by doing so. You've got to choose, _babe_…" He added playfully. Then he leaned closer, lowering his voice to whisper in my ear softly, "Maybe I would be better off dedicating my time and effort to pursuing Lisa rather than you. From what I've heard so far, she seems to find me pretty damn irresistible, wouldn't you agree?"

I wanted to hit him for even thinking something like that. I wanted to kiss him senseless just to prove to the world that he belonged to me.

'_Well, make up your mind Bella. You can't do both. Kiss him… yeah…that would definitely be the better option…' _

The knowing look in his eyes… the heat pooled there… let me know that he was very much aware of the direction of my thoughts.

"Jay-Jay!" an obnoxious voice squealed before I could actually follow through on my thoughts. I had trouble calibrating my thought process from giddy happiness to outright disgust but the moment I spotted Sammy, I had no trouble getting there.

'_What the hell…? What is she doing here…? Dammit, I was just about beginning to enjoy my evening but now, it's pretty much screwed!'_

Other than a brief glance acknowledging her presence, Jake's gaze was still fixed on me. "Hey, Sammy!" he responded, not sounding too happy with the interruption either; which took care of some of my irritation. That was before she practically pushed me out of the way to throw her arms around him and place a smacking kiss on his lips though.

Then I just wanted to tear her apart limb to limb.

What made it worse was that he didn't even flinch at her actions. He just waited patiently… as if she'd done this loads of times before and he'd learned to tolerate it.

I thought I hated her before but it was nothing compared to what I was feeling now.

The moment she released him, I feel like pulling him into my arms and telling her to keep her hands off him. Of course, I couldn't do anything of the sort.

"Alright there, Sammy?" he questioned her indulgently.

"Oh my God, Jay, where've you been? I haven't seen you in ages. I've missed you!" She pouted prettily. "Haven't you missed me? Why haven't you come to see me? You haven't come to the office in ages!!" She batted her eyelids at him flirtatiously.

I glared at her through eyes that were narrowed to slits. _'She was still clinging to him, dammit! That's it, I was going to have to kill her!'_

Before I could unsheathe my claws, Jake gently disentangled her arms from around his neck and gave her a distracted albeit indulgent smile that only succeeded in making me feel sicker. "Not now, Sammy. I don't have time for this right now. We'll do the pouting and the getting upset and the cheering up bit some other time, okay?" He might as well have patted her on the head like she was an obedient child.

She seemed disappointed but tried valiantly to collect herself. "Well then, can we at least dance? You know I love this song…" There was a slight edge of desperation to her voice that apparently only I could sense.

"I can't, sweetie." He informed her regretfully. "I was just about to ask Bella to dance with me. I'm sure Quil or Seth will be happy to dance with you though. Do you want me to let them know?" He asked solicitously.

The smile fell right off her face. I could see that she was blinking back tears but trying desperately to hide them from him. "Nah… don't worry about it. I'm a big girl; I'll go and ask them myself." That's when I came to the realization that Jake was pretty much oblivious to Sammy's feelings for him. She was in love him; that part was pretty clear to me but he apparently had no clue about it. I almost felt sorry for her… almost.

I could see that she was clearly embarrassed about the way she'd just been unceremoniously dismissed… especially since it was in my presence.

I gave her a tentative smile and she shot me a venomous glare before stomping away; hips swaying enticingly.

'_Ouch! Well what else did you expect, Bella? You and your stupid bleeding heart, you had to go and feel sorry for her, didn't you? Well… go on then, suffer! It's exactly what you deserve…'_

"Dance with me…" Jake demanded huskily before I could comment about the exchange. I noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off me during the whole Sammy scenario. "I seem to remember you promising me one of those…" He didn't bother waiting for my response; he just took the glass out of my unresisting fingers with one hand, his other holding onto me and leading me insistently towards the dance floor. His expressive eyes were telling me all the while just what he'd like to do to me if we weren't surrounded by so many people.

I took the opportunity of being temporarily alone with him to question him regarding his cluelessness. "Why do you encourage her?"

"Who?" he asked, seeming totally confused.

"Sammy!" I answered impatiently, almost smacking him when he continued to appear as lost as ever. "Why do you encourage Sammy's behavior; her feelings, when it's obvious that you don't return them?"

"Huh…? What feelings…?"

"She loves you, you moron! No, wait… let me be even clearer. She's head over heels in love with you. She desperately wants you to notice her, to spend time with her, to want her, to love her…" He appeared aghast at this revelation.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. _'Menl!'_

"Your behavior towards her; the way you tend to let her hug you all the time and the way you let her touch you and hold on to you gives her hope that someday you will return her feelings towards you." Now he seemed flat-out horrified. "You've got to stop giving her false hope Jake. Just break her heart once and for all, instead of doing so again and again…"

"Oh Shit!" He swore succinctly.

"Oh shit is right…" I patted him encouragingly. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll figure out some way to handle the situation without hurting her too badly in the process."

"Fuck! _Fuck!!_ Are you absolutely certain that she likes me?" I nodded seriously. "But she's just a kid!"

I rolled my eyes at his total obliviousness. "She's not that young, Jake. She's twenty. We both know that's old enough to have romantic feelings for someone…" I reminded him gently, thinking back to myself at that age. Heck, I'd been married and divorced all before I reached that landmark! "Besides, I think any girl between the age of thirteen and one-thirty would be insane not to have a crush on you!" I muttered to myself, knowing very well that I was just inflating his already huge ego by saying so.

He gave me a slight smirk looking very much like he'd desperately love to comment on that statement but his distress over the whole Sammy situation seemed to win out over his smartass side. "Shit, how could I've not known about this? How could I've been this blind?"

"Uh… Cause you're a guy…? Duh!" I told him matter-of-factly.

"Hey!" He sounded mildly affronted but let it go immediately. "Well, how about we just make out in front of her…? Will that take care of the problem?"

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"No…? Alright then, how about we introduce you as my girlfriend?"

"Jake…" I murmured warningly.

"Fine, how about this then…? We'll just announce our engagement." He spoke triumphantly as if he'd just discovered a perfect solution to his problems.

"We will do nothing of the sort." I denied emphatically. "You're going to have to do this the old fashioned way, by talking to her and telling her that you don't feel the same way for her as she does for you." My tone indicated that there would be no further discussion about this topic.

"Dammit, I'm no good at these types of confrontations!" He announced. "And I'm especially going to hate breaking Sammy's heart. She's such a nice, sweet girl…"

"Well… _try_, please!" I couldn't keep the annoyance out of my voice. "Unless, of course, you don't actually mind that she feels that way about you…"

"Come on, Bella, how can you even say that?" I just gave him a pointed glare in response.

He ran his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. "Alright, fine, I'll deal with her later… much later." He sounded more than a little panicked at the prospect. "But for the time being, can we forget about her and just enjoy this dance?" He pleaded softly. "I've finally succeeded in getting you in my arms; I don't want to spend this time talking about some other woman, do you? Can we just focus on you and me; here in this moment?"

I hadn't been happy talking about it either. I'd just wanted to get the topic out in the open so that it could be dealt with appropriately. Now that it was kinda taken care of though, I was more than ready to leave it behind me and just bask in the pleasure of Jake's company. "Gladly…" I sighed. "So, now that Sammy's out, what else do you wanna talk about?" I enquired teasingly.

He shook his head as if he were switching mental gears. "Umm… How about, that's some dress you're wearing…?" He spoke languidly; running his eyes up and down my body appreciatively.

Just like that, he managed to make me forget the last 15 minutes of my life completely. _'Sammy…? Sammy who…?'_ I felt his gaze on me like it was a physical touch and flushed all over.

"Umm… thank you…" I mumbled self consciously.

'_Thank you Alice… I guess you were right. As usual. He does love it…'_

"Promise me one thing…" He spoke roughly pulling me so close to his body that there wasn't even an inch of space left between us.

"Anything…" I agreed helplessly. His proximity scrambled my mind. I was caught in his gaze, drowning in it. I would've promised him anything he'd asked for at that moment.

"Promise me you won't dance with anybody else but me… especially no one from the pack…"

"Okaaay…? I promise…" I agreed even though I was more than a little confused by his request. I didn't know what had gotten into him all of a sudden. After all, I had danced with all of his friends loads of times before this evening and he hadn't seemed to mind it so much on those occasions… at least he hadn't minded enough to prevent me from doing so… Oh well…

Then I noticed that his gaze was directed at my cleavage, his eyes glazed over with passion and I realized that the straps of my dress had slipped slightly off my shoulders, causing the neckline to dip dangerously low. This combined with his height gave him the advantage of being able to see right down the neckline of my dress.

"Oh…" Suddenly the meaning behind his request became blindingly clear. I blushed uncontrollably and tried to pry myself out of his arms so that I could yank the offending garment back into place. He refused to let me go; his hold on me just tightening till I was locked in place by his arms with nowhere to go and nowhere to look except for our feet.

"Look at me Bella…" He insisted firmly. I was helpless to resist the quiet command in his voice. The moment my eyes locked onto his, I was trapped in his gaze…drowning in the maelstrom of emotions visible there.

"You never have to hide from me, you know that right?" He questioned firmly. All I could do was nod in response. "Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are right now?" Again all I could do was shake my head. "God, Bella, ever since I saw you tonight, all I've been able to think of is putting my hands on you, like this…" His hands on my waist tightened and I sucked in an involuntary breath, my gaze snapping to his, pupils dilated with lust. "…touching you, like this…" His hands encased my ribcage from both sides, spanning my waist and back, his thumbs coming to rest just below my breasts where they ran back and forth wreaking havoc with my breath. "…kissing you…" _'Like this'…_ the unspoken sentiment was clearly reflected in his eyes as he lowered his head, inch by slow torturous inch, his gaze fixed on my lips. I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips the moment his lips touched mine. As soon as my mouth opened beneath his, his tongue flicked my lips and tangled with mine hungrily; stealing what little breath I had left in me.

I couldn't help myself, I acted instinctively; pushing myself even closer to him and participating in the kiss wholeheartedly. My mouth moved over his desperately, my tongue explored every inch of his mouth and my teeth sank roughly into his irresistibly succulent lower lip.

'_Damn, how had I lived without Jacob Black's kisses for so long in my life…? They were downright addictive!'_

He pulled away breathlessly, rested his forehead against mine and groaned out loud. "You're going to be the death of me, I swear…" he whispered harshly before his mouth dropped to mine in another rough, no holds barred kiss that spoke of barely restrained passion. My heart thumped against my chest loudly as my arms travelled of their own accord, trying to wrap themselves around his neck. Before I could achieve my goal however, he abruptly pulled away. I groaned aloud in frustration before I could stop myself.

"Uh, uh, uh, uh…" He gave me a naughty smirk and a wag of his finger – an honest to goodness wag, as if I was some sort of an unruly child! UGH! Then he dropped a conciliatory kiss on my forehead and continued dancing as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened just then. My frustration level, which was already quite high to begin with, shot through the roof. God, he was driving me crazy and he was more than aware of it. I decided right then and there that I needed to wreak some havoc of my own.

Thankfully, the next number that came on was a slow one presenting me with an opportunity to up the ante. The moment he pulled me close, I stepped into him fully, making sure that I was close enough that we would brush up against each other with each movement. Then, I curled into him and laid my head against his chest making sure that I was close enough so that he'd be able to feel every breath I took against his torso – all of it executed very innocently and flawlessly, of course. His body went taut with awareness; his arms involuntarily pulled me closer.

I was glad that he couldn't see the satisfied smirk on my face.

Oh yeah, that'd teach him to play with me…

Determined to continue my mission, I softly nuzzled the expanse of skin exposed by his button down shirt with my nose, placing my lips firmly against it. He shuddered involuntarily; his body tightening in response to the silent invitation of my own.

I realized I was enjoying myself immensely…

I gently nipped the exposed flesh of his well defined pectorals with my teeth. His skin had a tangy-salty taste that was incredibly tempting and I couldn't help lapping my tongue against him a couple of times to try and savor it.

That action was more than enough to break through his tenuous control. He growled low in his throat before pulling my face towards him and kissing me with a savage intensity that left my head reeling and my pulse racing. His tongue penetrated my mouth, battling with my own for dominance. His teeth nipped at my lips almost bruising in their force. His hands roamed desperately over my back and sides before coming to rest on my lower back. I could feel every inch of his hardened length against me as he placed a firm hand on the curve of my hips and thrust his leg insistently between mine; locking us together intimately. I gasped audibly, my body coming blazingly alive.

"Let's get out of here…" he spoke urgently. "I can't wait another second to have you naked under me…"

I gulped nervously, unable to form a coherent response. The bravado I'd been feeling just a couple of minutes ago deserted me completely leaving me feeling more than a little panicky. My legs felt as if they'd been frozen in place.

'_What the hell is wrong with you? You want this as badly as he does. So why the hell are you panicking now?'_

He seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. His eyes blazed into mine. "I've waited forever for you, Bella. Don't make me wait any longer…" he demanded authoritatively. I looked at him in shock not knowing how to respond to that commanding tone. But the slight vulnerability I saw in his eyes put my mind to rest.

He wanted this too… badly.

My inhibitions melted away in a rush of warmth. Instead of replying verbally to his plea, I just stood on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his softly before taking his hands in mine and executing a quick turn towards the door.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a silent exchange take place between Jake, Embry and Quil. The very next instant they were both by our side. Jake spoke to them quietly, "Bella and I are leaving now. Take care of things here. And unless there's a national emergency or a crisis of epic proportions, I don't want to be disturbed, is that clear?" They nodded silently but I could see the knowing grins on their faces. I braced myself for a round of endless questions and good natured ribbing that; amazingly enough; never happened.

'_Well, well… this is a first. The pack… Quil… willingly relinquishing an opportunity to make me blush…? What is wrong with this picture here…?'_

In fact, I could feel everyone's interested gazes following us as we made our way towards the exit but surprisingly – and thankfully, for my peace of mind – no one made any effort to stop us.

I concluded that this was a hidden benefit of being with the alpha. If he wanted his brothers to keep their mouths shut, they kept their mouths shut, no matter how much they yearned to do otherwise.

The moment we reached the parking lot, Jake turned me towards him and lifted my chin with his fingers till I was looking into his eyes. The intensity in them gave me a moment's pause. "If you're having second thoughts about taking this step with me, now is the time to mention them. Once we sit in that car, that's it. There's no turning back. I won't be able to pull back and I won't allow you to either. This is it, Bella – the moment of truth. So, be sure you want this… be absolutely sure. I won't ask you again."

I gave him a tiny, nervous grin in response. "No, no second thoughts. We're doing this." I rose up on the tip of my toes and took a teasing bite of his incredible bottom lip. "Take me to bed, Jake…"

I could feel the effect my words and my actions had on his body which, impossible as it seemed, only hardened further. "Your place or mine…?" He asked me gruffly.

"Wherever, I don't really care…" Coherent thought was almost out of the realm of possibility at this moment. "…How about the garage…?"

Jake chuckled softly. "Some other time, maybe. This time, I'd like a bed, privacy and no interruptions for at least the next twenty hours…"

My heart slammed out of control. "My place then…" I breathed out. "It's empty. Renee's at the hospital with Charlie…"

He nodded jerkily and pulled open the door to his car quickly, making sure I was seated before leaning down to place a hard kiss against my lips. He didn't wait for me to respond; shutting the door quickly and making his way over to the driver's side… leaving me reeling from the passion behind the kiss. The harsh expression on his face softened into a smile as he took in my dazed expression prompting him to lean over and caress my cheek briefly. He straightened back, muttered "Hang tight, Bells", and peeled out of the parking lot swiftly.

The silence between us was heavy with unspoken feelings and meaningful glances as the distance flew by.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to keep my eyes off him. I could feel my fingers itching with the urge to touch him… I tried to distract myself by watching the scenery flashing by but my gaze kept coming back to Jake time and again. In my defense, who'd want to look at some random bit of scenery when the finest specimen of manhood in the entire world was sitting right next to you?

"Stop that!" He chided me gently, bringing me out of my trance.

"What?" I asked in confusion, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"Stop looking at me like that unless you want me to find a place to pull over right now", he spoke huskily.

"Maybe I do…" I muttered brazenly.

He gave me a smoldering look out of the corner of his eyes. "Don't tempt me." He warned softly; pulling me closer and pressing a quick kiss on my lips without taking his eyes off the road. "We can't be arrested by Charlie's deputies, remember?" Humor glinted in his eyes.

"Coward! Spoilsport!" I teased him laughingly.

"Hey!" He pretended to be offended. "I'm not scared. I'm just trying to think about your father here. He's just now getting better; we wouldn't want to hamper his progress now, would we?" He gave me a roguish wink before turning his attention back to the road.

Despite his warning for me to behave myself, he apparently had no intention of doing so himself. This was made amply clear to me when I felt his warm hand on my knee. With his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead, he allowed his hand to run freely up and down my leg; from my knee to the apex of my thighs; eliciting hot shivers throughout my body.

His talented fingers played around with the hem of my dress, making me yearn for his touch on my bare skin but never fulfilling the yearning. He knew exactly what he was doing to me; the hooded look in his eyes burned through to my most intimate place, making me hotter, wetter… I squirmed in my seat, hoping for some kind of relief from the torture.

With only a touch and a glance, this man had the power to reduce me to a blubbering mass of need. I was such a goner.

By the time we reached Forks, I was wound into a tight coil of yearning and desire; almost gasping with the need to have him touch me without restraint.

I barely registered opening the door of the car and stumbling towards the house but the next thing I knew the door to the house was open; we were somehow both inside and I was being pushed against the foyer wall and kissed fervently; with all the pent up passion that he was feeling. "I want you Bella…" Jake groaned insistently. "I want you so much. I've wanted you for so long…"

He cupped my bottom… pulling me tight against his rigid arousal.

"God, Jake… just touch me already!" I was ready to beg if I had to.

Thankfully, he seemed to know my exact state of mind. One of his hands ran down my thigh urging it to curl upwards and around his waist while his other worked its way up my thigh and towards my moist center leaving blazing trails of heat in its wake. I held my breath in anticipation as he got closer and closer to the one place where I most craved his touch.

As his fingers slid past the elastic of my panties and into me; we both uttered unintelligible sounds of pleasure.

"Oh, Jake…" I gasped incoherently, trying to process the feeling of having him touching me so intimately, so sensuously.

"So wet, so hot, so tight…" He groaned, dropping his head into the nook of my neck in a gesture of total surrender. He was panting heavily and the hot breath against my neck was causing uncontrollable shudders to run through me.

His fingers thrust into me in a slow, torturous rhythm; taking me right to the brink of insanity. His hot mouth closed around my breast, sucking my nipple greedily though my dress.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God…!" I mumbled incoherently. Just when I thought I was going to lose my mind completely, he added his thumb to the mix, flicking my clit expertly.

"_Jake!_" I gasped and shuddered as the world exploded in a bright burst of color. His arms were all that held me upright and I clung to him as my legs gave out from under me. He held me tenderly, patiently treating me as if I was made of spun glass; dropping tiny kisses all over my face.

As I slowly came back to my senses I decided that I didn't want to wait any longer. "Upstairs. Bed. Now!" I did a bit of ordering around of my own while trying to disentangle myself so I could lead him to my bedroom.

"No! Wrap your legs around me." He commanded harshly, picking me up off the ground and urging me to wrap my legs around his waist.

I obeyed the command in his voice blindly.

Our new position caused our bodies to rub against each other in new and enticing ways. His hardness rubbed against the very core of me causing newer pin pricks of pleasure to run through my body.

He carried me effortlessly up the stairs, stopping intermittently to press me up against the wall and press dizzying kisses all over every inch of exposed skin that he could find.

I'd lost all power of speech. All I could do was hold on to him desperately and gasp or hiss in pleasure.

I didn't even realize we'd reached my bedroom till he tossed me down gently on the bed. He placed his hands on either side of my head and slowly lowered his body till he was laying over me… every delicious part of him touching every part of me. And that's all he did… he just lay over me; hugging me and breathing me in. It was heaven. It was hell…

Impatience got the best of me. I wrestled around until my hands were free from under him and edged them under his shirt and ran them all over his back, caressing his warm, smooth skin urgently.

My actions seemed to galvanize him. Suddenly he was everywhere. His hands slid over my shoulder, long fingers curving over my nape, his thumb stroking my collarbone while his other hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer. Then his fingers moved down my back to the zipper of my dress lowering it agonizingly slowly.

As the bodice of my dress came loose, I was overcome by a sudden, overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. After all, I'd only done this with one other man; Edward; and look where that'd gotten me – I'd gone from being happily married and pregnant to being childless and divorced in what had seemed like the blink of an eye. What if I sucked at this? What if I was a huge disappointment? What if I was too inexperienced for his liking? What if Jake hated being with me?

My hands came up of their own violation to hold the dress in place. I raised panic stricken eyes to his patient, knowing ones. "I… ah… I'm not very good at this…" I whispered hesitantly.

His gaze softened as he tugged the straps of my dress down my arms insistently. His eyelids drifted down, his gaze shifting to my lace covered breasts. "Aren't you…?" He asked huskily.

Without waiting for my reply he lowered his head to mine in a kiss of blind need. When his parted lips moved insistently against my own, I consciously made a decision to stop over thinking the situation and go with the flow. With that in mind, I welcomed the suggestive invasion of his tongue and returned it; making him gasp and clench me even tighter to his body.

His hands skimmed down my sides and around my back unhooking my bra in the process. As soon as my breasts sprang free he directed all of his attention towards them, cupping and squeezing one of them; while his lips captured the other enveloping it in his warmth. His hand pinched my nipples; playing with it, brushing his thumb over it while his talented tongue flicked the other; suckling it hungrily.

My entire body arched off the bed. I was barely aware of sobbing his name out loud. I just knew that I never wanted him to stop what he was doing. But he did. I must've made some sound of protest because a muffled, hoarse laugh escaped him. "Shh… I know exactly how you feel _but_ we're far from done yet, Bells. Don't worry, there's a lot more to come…"

He reached for the pins in my hair pulling them out and freeing it till it tumbled in wild disarray all around me. His hands grabbed handfuls of it, his fingers running through the length repeatedly. "Did I mention that I love the way your hair is all wild and untamed now? I've been dreaming about seeing it spread out gloriously on my pillow. Since my pillow is currently unavailable, I'll make do with yours for the time being." He informed me hoarsely.

Then he turned his attention to the only remaining article of clothing I had on – my panties. His fingers toyed with the lace while his eyes asked for permission to take them off. I gulped in nervousness before nodding. He wasted no time in whisking them off leaving me completely exposed to his gaze. I held my breath and waited for his reaction.

"_God..._" Jake breathed. He stared at me seemingly awestruck. "Do you have any idea how perfect you are, Bella? How beautiful, how responsive, how exciting…?" He whispered in a shaken, hoarse voice. I blushed; secretly pleased that he found me physically pleasing.

Suddenly feeling far more confident that I had a few minutes ago, I dropped my eyes to his still clothed body. "You're way too overdressed for the occasion, Mr. Black." I teased him playfully, tugging at his shirt. "We need to rectify the situation immediately, don't you think?" I began to pull his buttons off frantically. I became even more impatient when his fingers joined me in my quest. "Hurry" I insisted helping him to get rid of his clothes in record time till he was standing before me in all his glory.

I took one look at him and gasped. If he'd thought I was beautiful then there were no words invented to describe how he looked. He was perfection personified.

I knew I was staring but couldn't seem to help it. Jacob Black; naked; was a sight to behold.

I reverently reached out a hand to touch his engorged length, wrapping my hand around him; running my thumb over the pearl of moisture glistening on the head of his length. His tortured groan brought my gaze back to his passion filled eyes.

The expression in them electrified me; filled me with longing. "Now Jake… now!" I urged him impatiently tugging him closer to me.

"Wait… wait…I have to…" he fumbled around for his jeans, withdrawing a small foil packet from the pocket before looking at me and giving me a faint smile.

"You… uh… don't have to… at least not for my sake…" I explained shyly. "I've been on the pill since the whole Edward fiasco and uh… I haven't really been with anyone since then, you know, physically… so uh… I'm clean…" I knew I was blushing, I just knew it.

His expression went from disbelief to bemusement to shock. "What're you saying Bella? That I'm your first after Edward…?" he asked in a stunned voice.

"Yes…" I whispered almost shamefully.

There was absolute silence for the next few minutes. My heart sank. With a lot of trepidation, I made myself look at him, wanting to gauge his reaction. What I saw in his eyes made my breath catch in my throat. Mixed with the disbelief and the shock was something akin to wonder, to adoration, to… dare I say… love…?

Before I could respond or even say anything, I was lying flat on my back; his mouth was fused to mine, parting my lips; his thigh was wedged between mine, parting my thighs and his tongue was tangling with mine, alternately withdrawing and plunging deep. Bracing his hands on either side of me he moved partially on top of me. I could feel the tip of his penis probing at my moist entrance.

"Look at me Bella. I need to see your eyes." He ordered me hoarsely.

The moment I looked into his scorching brown eyes, Jake pushed his throbbing length into me.

"Oooohhh… Ju-ake…" The feeling of having him inside of me was just… indescribable.

He was panting through his mouth; a look of utmost concentration on his face. "So good… you feel so fucking good, Bella." He held himself utterly still, his eyes closed, his body trembling slightly.

I impatiently moved my body a little, thrusting towards him; pulling him deeper into me. He froze, his eyes clenched shut. "Hold still Bella." He voice sounded strained. "Don't move even an inch unless you want this to be over immediately. Gimme a couple of minutes, please, honey…"

A few moments later, he seemed to be a little more in control of himself. He opened his eyes and looked at me with bemused tenderness in his eyes. "I should've known you'd make me feel this way… as if the world were ending and beginning all at the same time. I should've known it'd be this way with you." He sounded more than a little amazed now… and just a tad bit fearful. "I should've known… but somehow I didn't. I should've been more prepared for this but somehow I'm not." There was a wealth of meaning behind his words.

Unexpected tears stung my eyes. "I… ah… this… is kinda beyond my expectations too. It's never been this way with anyone before."

His expression darkened a little. "But…" he began questioningly and I knew… instinctively I knew what he was going to say. "It's _never_ been like this, Jake." I interrupted him. He seemed a bit doubtful. "_Trust me!_ No one has _ever_ made me feel this way… _no one_…"

That seemed to shatter his self control. He plunged inside me, penetrating me to the hilt. I gasped out in shock and pleasure. He pulled back out and drove in again… and again, his strokes almost violently hard and fast and deep. It felt as if he was trying to possess me, brand me… it felt like he was trying to own me, body and soul.

He succeeded spectacularly; driving me to the same heights of passion and lust that he, himself was on.

Kissing him with passionate abandon, I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist and moved with him, matching him stroke for ruthless stroke, until we both hurtled over the edge and into blinding, soul-searing ecstasy.

For a moment afterwards, he was still, lying on top of me, his weight pushing me down on the mattress, his body damp and hot, his breathing labored. Then he shifted onto the side, rolling me along with him and pulling me into his side till I was pressed into him and my head was resting on his shoulder.

"You okay?" He panted.

"Ummm… never better…" I answered languorously.

"God Bella…" he breathed, almost reverently after we'd both got our breath back. " That was…" He paused, seemingly at a loss for words.

"Brilliant…" I finished for him shyly, unable to look into his eyes.

He huffed out a laugh. "Brilliant will do, I suppose…"

There were a few moments of contemplative silence. Then, "So, I think your friend Lisa will be pretty pleased with us, huh?" Jake questioned laughingly. "What say we go tell her that we finally did the deed?" He pressed an absent kiss on my bare shoulder.

I swatted at him half-heartedly. "Don't you dare, Jacob Black!" I mock threatened.

"Or else what, Isabella Swan…?" He questioned teasingly, trying to fight a yawn. "What're you going to do, hit me again? Have you forgotten what happened when you tried that _the_ _last_ time?"

"Oh, I haven't forgotten, don't worry. Besides, I've grown up, in case you haven't noticed yet."

He opened his eyes to leer at my bare breasts salaciously. "Oh I've noticed…"

I rolled my eyes. Men… they had such a one track mind. I swatted him again.

"Anyway… now that I've grown up, I don't need to hit you to get back at you."

"No…?" he sounded amused. "How else do you intend to get back at me?" He looked like a Cheshire cat, smilingly slightly; his very pose reflecting his satisfaction and contentment. One of his hands was curled behind his head while his other was running up and down my back lazily leaving goosebumps in its wake.

I decided that he was way too smug for his own good. He definitely needed a shock treatment… a wakeup call so to speak. "Oh, I dunno, I might just sic Sammy at you… you know, tell her that you're extremely eager to talk to her; hint that you want to discuss her _'feelings'_ and then withdraw tactfully and leave you to handle the fallout…" I intoned solemnly.

His reaction was comical. He froze instantly. "You wouldn't!" He sounded horrified.

I couldn't hold on to my serious expression any longer and I burst out in chuckles. "Gotcha!"

"You witch…! I'll get you back for that, I swear!" He warned threateningly, turning around and mock-glaring at me.

"Yeah, yeah… whatever. If I were you, I'd go with less talk and more action, Black…" I mocked him some more.

"Is that right?" He questioned his voice suddenly going husky with renewed desire. Without any warning and with all the agility of a panther he rolled over on top of me and plunged his newly hardened member inside me. I couldn't help but let out a shocked gasp at the unexpected invasion.

"Is that 'action' enough for you, Miss Swan?" He asked teasingly, rotating his hips firmly.

"Oh, oh… God… yes…don't stop…" All I was capable of was incoherent mumbling.

"Hmmm… I'm getting the impression that you're more than satisfied with my 'actions' here…" Jake continued with his teasing thrusts, driving me more than a little crazy with his leisurely pace.

"Christ… Stop teasing, will you?" I yelled out.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… such impatience, Miss Swan… hasn't anyone ever told you that all good things come to those who wait?"

"Screw waiting…" I was mindless, beyond caring and certainly beyond shyness. "I need you, right now!" I demanded fiercely, clenching my inner muscles tightly around him hoping to prove my point while sweeping my tongue down his neck.

He froze in place as if he'd been electrified. "Jesus…" he murmured reverently. Then he began to thrust into me frenziedly, abandoning all pretense of control.

He made sure that I came first; shuddering and screaming out his name. Only then did he let himself go, burying his mouth in my neck to muffle his cries of pleasure.

We both fell asleep in an instant; wrapped tightly in each other's arms; satisfied and worn out from our pleasurable activities.

The next thing I knew, it was morning and Jake wasn't in bed with me and there was some talk of breakfast in bed.

I snuggled deeper into the covers, shivering uncontrollably; there was a cold draft in the room.

I grumbled sleepily feeling disgruntled and made up my mind to yell at Jake the moment I saw him for leaving me alone and with an open window apparently…

A few moments later, there was a loud crashing noise followed by a few thuds. "Ugh! I knew I shouldn't have allowed Jake anywhere near the kitchen!" I grumbled to myself determined to enjoy my beauty sleep some more. "What's going on, Jake?" I called out loudly. "Is everything alright? I told you to not bother with breakfast, didn't I? Now how about you just come back to bed, huh? I'll make it worth your while, I promise…" I called out in what I hoped was an enticing voice.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here?" Jake's low, threatening growl was the first indication I had that everything wasn't as it should be.

I shot up in bed and looked around blearily pulling the covers closer to my body in an effort to ward off the chill. It took a couple of minutes for my eyes to adjust to the early morning light but when they did, the sight that greeted me was more than enough to make the last vestiges of sleep disappear.

I blinked my eyes a couple of times hoping to put an end to the hallucination but unfortunately, the outcome remained the same.

The familiar pain slashed through me leaving me feeling wounded and raw even after all these years. I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach and couldn't get my breath back.

Of course, I'd known he was on his way back but somehow… naively… I'd thought I'd have some kind of a warning, an indication, some time to mentally prepare myself before I'd have to see him face to face. I'd somehow never expected to see him here… in my room again after all these years…

It reminded me too much of old times. The sense of déjà vu was astonishing and crippling.

"_Edward…?"_ I gasped disbelievingly. "What _are_ you doing here?"

**So…? Was that worth the wait? Did I make up for my disappearing act? Am I forgiven? (Bites nails nervously…)Please let me know. Don't leave me hanging here people… It's been too long and I'm more than a little nervous here. Let me know that I haven't lost it… :P Leave loads and loads of reviews…**

**Once again, thank you to my brilliant, amazing, hardworking beta's Ashley and Cheryl. Thank you so much for your help and support ladies. Couldn't have done this without you. **

**And last but not least, thank you to my lemon consultant, Erin. Lady, you're a goddess! Thank you for all your support and encouragement and of course, for putting up with my insecurities. You're the bestest! **

**Anyway, gimme my reviews people! I'm suffering from review withdrawal and need my fix, right now!**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Disclaimer: - I don't own anything… well… except the Jacob in my dreams. **_**He's**_** all mine! **

**So, this is a semi-quick and relatively long update for you guys and I really hope it makes up for my long absence! **

**Anyway, I have to warn you guys, Edward might come across as a bit of an A-hole initially in the chapter but hang in there people…it'll get better, well… somewhat! Hehe… Sorry, definitely not a member of Team Edward, in case you haven't figured it out already! **

**Once again this chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF - Erin, Ashley, Cheryl and Wendy and also ****to Kats Flower Girls for her wonderful input – Basically she made me a request a while back…she knows what it's all about… and the idea appealed to me so much that I took it and ran with it. I cannot thank her enough for her brilliant suggestion. I do hope this lives up to her expectations. **

BPOV

Oh my God… Oh shit… _Oh my GOD_!!!

Edward was here… in my room… he was actually _here_!

And oh God, eww, oh god… his eyes seemed to be riveted to my exposed shoulders and there was a strange yearning expression in them. There was a sinking feeling in my stomach.

How long had he been standing there without me being aware of his presence? How much had he heard? How much had he _seen_? The thought of him seeing any part of me, naked, made me feel kind of sick. And even though he was my ex-husband and _technically_ had seen every bit of me in the past, I couldn't stand the thought of his doing so now. It went beyond embarrassment. It _really_ made me feel sick.

I scrambled to pull the covers tighter around my body taking pains to tuck in the sheet from all sides and avoided meeting his gaze at all costs.

Unfortunately, that left my gaze free to wander around to Jake's furious form. Standing there barefoot; wearing nothing but his low slung, body hugging jeans from last night he looked so much like the boy I knew six years ago – aside from the fact that the jeans weren't torn and looked like they were exclusively styled for him, of course – that the sense of déjà vu came back with a vengeance.

Other than those minor details, it was the same Edward, same Jacob…_but_, different, more mature Bella… _older_ Bella. Somehow, the thought didn't bother me as much as it would have in the past. Hmmm… maybe I had grown up. Today, I knew that age wasn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I prized it… It'd given me a lot of much needed experience… a lot of maturity. Too bad that I'd had to go through a marriage, a divorce and a failed pregnancy to gain this perspective on life.

I was startled out of my musings by Jake emitting a low growl. I quickly realized that he'd finally figured out what Edward was gawking at and that he didn't like it one bit. He deliberately walked between Edward and me and just stood there, creating a visual barrier between Edward and me; his entire body clenched tightly like he was holding onto himself with a huge effort.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here leech?" He snarled again viciously.

Shit… there was an agitated, lustful vampire and a furious, protective werewolf in close vicinity of where I was sitting on the bed… naked as the day I was born. How the hell did I manage to get myself into such impossible situations?

Speaking of which, I was facing my ex-husband for the first time in more than four years … and I was _naked_, for God's sake… and Jake – who aside from being someone Edward had always been jealous of, was his mortal enemy for heaven's sake – was here. And then, if you factored in the fact that Edward had killed my unborn child and that one action had been single-handedly responsible for the breakdown of my marriage and that I was seeing him for the first time since the divorce had been finalized – and this whole situation seemed to be nothing but a disaster of epic proportions just waiting to happen!

Oh my freaking God!!!!

I couldn't even begin to think how this whole situation appeared to Edward. Shit, he must've taken one look at me and immediately figured out that I'd just had the best freaking sex of my life… with his mortal enemy!

Holy fucking shit! Crap! Crap!! Crap!!!

"Hello, Bella." Edward's dulcet tone brought me back from the threshold of a full blown panic attack.

"Edward…wha…what're you doing here?" I gasped. "When did you get here?" I interrogated him looking at him fully for the first time.

My God… he looked exactly the same. Pale, gorgeous, God-like and oh-so-young…

'_Not now Bella… you need to focus on the more important things first… besides, he's not so God-like at all. He killed your baby, didn't he?'_

The pain brought on by the thought was still enough to break my heart even after all these years. Whoever said that time lessens all wounds had apparently never suffered the loss of a child.

'_My baby… my beautiful green eyed angel… I hadn't lost him… not exactly. He'd been snatched away from me… stolen…'_

Pain of untold magnitude roared through me, bringing a sheen of unbidden tears to my eyes. Jake immediately understood what I was going through and walked up behind me to place his hands on my shoulders in a gesture of reassurance and support. I leaned back into him gratefully drinking in his protectiveness and warmth.

Jake's gesture couldn't completely take the pain away but it did make it somewhat manageable. He was my sun, after all… he always had been. His presence alone could make the most unbearable things more bearable.

Shaking off the melancholy of this unexpected encounter, I came to the realization that Edward wasn't exactly looking at me either. His eyes were trained somewhere behind me. His expression seemed – to put it mildly – strained.

"What the hell are you doing here, mutt?"

Uh oh… he was looking at Jake apparently. And he sounded…well… furious.

"Oh, that's funny… I think I asked you the same question some time back and I asked it first." Jake growled angrily.

"What is _he_ doing here, Bella?" Edward just asked forcefully choosing to ignore Jake's statement.

Jake continued to stare at Edward silently for a couple of minutes…looking at him intently. "Does that answer your question, leech?" He questioned him calmly.

"No, no, no, no, _NO_!" Edward looked like he was in immense pain. "Tell me you didn't, Bella… Please, tell me you didn't do what the dog's thoughts are telling me you did! Lie to me if you have to…but make me believe that he's lying." He begged me a little wildly.

Shit… Jake just… oh God, he just… How could he…?

I was beyond speech but as far as Edward was concerned; my silence spoke volumes.

"How _could_ you, Bella?" Edward sounded betrayed.

"Answer her question first, _Edward_!" Jake snapped. "What the hell are you doing here… in her room?

"I don't think it's any of your damn business, _Jacob_." Edward answered furiously.

"Yeah, well, that's where you're freaking wrong, leech. I'm pretty sure that even Bella would disagree with you on that but it doesn't really matter anyway because I'm _making_ it my damn business. So why don't you just tell us what you're up to, huh? And what the fuck are you doing climbing in through her window?" Jake growled angrily. "If you absolutely had to come visit, couldn't you come in through the door like normal people do?"

He smacked his head suddenly as if he was just coming to a realization. "Oh, but, then I totally forgot… you're neither 'normal' nor 'people' are you, Eddie boy?"

'_Alright then… first things first…'_

"Edward…Jake's right. You need to answer my question."

Jake threw Edward a triumphant look, which I did my level best to ignore.

'_Oh God… how could a hundred and ten something year old vampire and an alpha werewolf be such… well… boys…?'_

Edward threw Jake a fulminating glare but thankfully when he spoke, it was addressed to me. "My family and I just got in last night. I heard about what happened to Charlie and then about the dreams you've been having. I just wanted to see how you were doing… that you were alright. I didn't realize that you'd have company. I just came here without thinking." He finally looked me right in the eye. "And then, when I sensed the mutt's presence, I thought you might be in some kind of danger and reacted instinctively, thinking I was protecting you. I know I don't have the right anymore but, old habits die hard, huh?" He gave me a bittersweet smile.

"Yeah, well, now that you know that Bella has company and that she isn't in any danger, why don't you just leave the way you came, huh?" Jake sounded like he was barely holding on to his temper.

"Jake…" I spoke warningly.

The Cullen's were here to help us out. We couldn't afford to alienate them. And apart from being a Cullen, Edward was my _ex-husband_! No matter what my feelings towards him were or what had happened between us in the past, I had to treat him civilly. Unfortunately, that included making sure that Jake treated him civilly too… and that was going to be a tall order.

I sighed.

I'd known that he was coming back. I'd made peace with that… well… kinda. I'd also known that I couldn't avoid him forever… that I would have to face him sooner or later. But somehow, I'd never imagined our first face to face meeting in over four years to go like this. Call me naïve but I'd imagined a very different scenario. For one thing, I'd never expected it to be here – in my old bedroom, of all places… where there were so many memories – good and bad – for all of us. Then, stupidly, I'd never expected Jake to be present too. And finally…oh God… I'd expected to be wearing… well… _something_!

"Bella, this filthy parasite entered your home; your room without _your_ permission! What if I hadn't been here with you, huh? Who knows what he would've done!" Jake argued, still glaring at Edward.

Edward made an unintelligible sound of protest.

"Jake…" I warned again, softly.

"I'm not the one who has trouble controlling his emotions, mutt. I would never put Bella in danger, unlike some other people here!" Edward snapped furiously.

"Edward…" I was beginning to sound like a broken record.

_And_, I was starting to feel like I was the only adult in the room and that I was talking to two wayward children.

"Oh, that's rich, coming from _you_ of all people…" Jake's voice was full of sarcasm and fury.

"What the hell does that mean?" Edward asked, somewhat belligerently.

Oh shit, he had no idea that Jake knew everything that'd gone on with us…

"_What the hell does that mean…?"_ Jake repeated incredulously. "Are you _fucking kidding_ me?!? You _fucked up_, that's what it means!!"

I looked on helplessly between the two men in my life… both of them had at some point of time owned my heart… both of them had meant the world to me… in fact, they were the only ones who'd ever meant anything to me. And here they both were… standing in front of me, looking at each other like they'd like nothing better than to tear each other apart; limb to limb.

Okay, so, if I was going to be dealing with such juvenile behavior, I needed to be better prepared. And I needed some clothes!

"Jacob, Edward, can you give me a moment here?"

"Yeah, not happening!" was Jake's immediate, irrational response.

I just gave him a pointed look.

"Okay, fine…" He conceded unwillingly. "…but I'll be right outside in case you need me, okay?"

"Sure, thanks…" I spoke with heartfelt relief.

He came closer and deliberately leaned down to press a tender kiss to my forehead.

Edward growled angrily.

Oh… I was going to get a headache from this… I could just feel it.

"Stop it, both of you" I begged tiredly. "Just, please… gimme a couple of minutes here… please?" I spoke resignedly. "And, please, try not to kill each other." I warned them forcefully.

They both grimaced – as if the thought was somehow distasteful to them – but nodded reluctantly.

The moment they both left the room, I hurriedly threw off the covers and rushed around, desperate to get dressed as soon as possible. When it came to leaving them alone with each other and trusting them to be civilized to each other I didn't trust them as far as I could throw them… which considering who or what they were… wasn't far at all. I knew they'd be at each other's throats the moment my back was turned.

I grabbed the first thing I could find – a pair of track pants that'd seen better days, a tattered tank top and a ratty full sleeve jacket – and frowned while putting them on. Not the best attire for facing an ex-husband and a new lover and definitely not what I'd imagined myself to be wearing when I came face to face with Edward once again but it couldn't be helped. I pulled my hair into a haphazard ponytail and scrambled to make the room somewhat presentable… rearranging the covers on the bed and picking up the clothes I'd been wearing last night from where they were strewn all over the floor.

I frowned distastefully. This was another mortifying reminder that Edward was more than aware of everything that'd gone on between Jake and me last night. Not exactly the sexy, romantic morning I'd had in mind… oh well, the waking each other up and the breakfast in bed followed by a shared shower would just have to wait.

I unlocked the door to the bedroom. "Come on in" I called to both of them while sitting primly on the edge of the bed.

They both walked in one after the other, both displaying overt signs of aggression. I looked at them helplessly, at a loss for words.

What was I supposed to say…? To do…? What do you say to your ex-husband who just found you in bed with your best friend – his enemy – who's been in love/lust with you forever but who you've always denied having feelings for…?

Thankfully, I didn't have to come up with a solution to my dilemma. Edward took the initiative. He walked over to where I was sitting and ran a fleeting hand down my arm. I flinched at the cold. Had he always been that cold? And if so, why didn't I remember it?

Jake growled low in his throat and yanked me closer to him. "Keep your hands to yourself, leech."

Edward ignored him. "How are you doing Bella?"

"I'm fine Edward…"

"Good. How is Charlie doing? Alice told me he's been having some minor complications with his wounds but don't worry… it is very common with an injury of this magnitude; nothing to be very worried about. Now that Carlisle is here; he'll be supervising Charlie's treatment and that should speed up his recovery tremendously. I just wish you'd informed me…us earlier. We could've helped. Well, now that we're here, if you need anything; anything at all, just tell me, okay? I'm here for you."

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer." I spoke politely.

"_But_, she doesn't need _your_ help." Jake interrupted bluntly. "Bella isn't alone. She has Renee and her friends from London. More importantly, she has me and my pack to help her out with whatever she needs. I'm sure Carlisle's help will be invaluable but as far as you and the rest of your family is concerned, we've asked you here for a very different reason and it'd be better if you focused on just that aspect of your visit."

"Yes I can see that you've been really _helpful _so far!" Edward addressed Jake venomously; putting special emphasis on the word 'helpful' and giving it a cheap connotation. "Bella, how many times have I told you that werewolves are dangerous?" He pleaded, turning his attention to me. "Why won't you listen to me? Why do you still continue to hang out with him? It's not safe Bella…" He touched my cheek softly; giving me a pleading look.

"_Take. Your. Filthy. Hands. Off. Her!_" Jake spoke slowly, emphatically. He was trembling violently. "I won't ask again." He looked forceful; powerful. He sounded _scary!_

Edward was not as affected by his scariness as he should've been; according to me. Instead of doing what Jake had asked him to do, he defiantly moved closer, cupping my cheek softly. "I don't need your permission, dog. She's my wife…"

"Ex-wife!" Jake gritted. "And _hands off_!"

"Yeah, sure" Edward gave him a maddening smile, making no effort to move away.

Jake snapped.

Before I knew it, Edward's palm had been ripped away from my cheek and they were both on the other side of the room; Jake was holding Edward pinned against the wall with his hand wrapped firmly around his neck.

There was a loud thud as Edward's body collided with the wall. I flinched. The window panes rattled and the blinds shook. It felt like a minor quake had hit Forks.

Jake was breathing heavily; through his mouth. I could make out that he was trying very hard to gain control over his emotions. Edward growled angrily but made no move to free himself.

It'd happened so fast I hadn't had any time to react. It'd all been a blur of movement to me. I stared at both of them disbelievingly.

"_Never_ _ever_ touch her again… not if you want to live!" Jake threatened silkily.

"Not bad… not bad at all…" Edward murmured musingly. "Apparently, the puppy has grown up… matured; learned new tricks along the way while I was away. Very impressive…" He sounded almost as if he meant the compliment. "How did you learn to control your thoughts? Right then, I had no idea you were going to do that. Impressive indeed."

This was insane. He seemed like he was just making casual conversation.

"You haven't seen the half of it. And trust me when I say, you don't want to." Jake answered, sounding only slightly less murderous than before.

"Are you honestly threatening me, mutt?" Edward sounded amused. "You really think you can take me on? What you did just then was clearly a one-time thing. You just got lucky. You really think you can beat me?"

"I know I can…" Jake scoffed confidently.

Without saying another word, Edward pulled Jake closer and twisted his arm, unbalancing him and flipping him over; freeing himself from his grip. Jake lost his balance momentarily but went into an easy spin and landed back on his feet effortlessly. Then, they faced each other, both automatically going into crouching positions; ready for combat.

I was still rooted in place; my mind had totally shut down.

"Don't make such stupid assumptions in the future, puppy. You have no idea what I am capable of. But I can understand your overconfidence. You're too young yet to have acquired any sense of self preservation or any control over your impulses." Edward taunted infuriatingly. "I'm more than a 110 years old. I'm far more stronger than you'll ever be. I could break you in two without even trying. So, don't make me hurt you!" Edward spoke disparagingly.

Then he flicked a glance in my direction. "I'm here to talk to Bella. I don't have any desire to fight with her pet dog. So why don't you be a good boy and scamper off." He sounded dismissive.

Jake took advantage of Edward's momentary distraction and pounced, pushing him backwards and pinning him to the floor; twisting him around so that Edward was lying face down and Jake was holding his hands behind his back securely.

Another thud; louder than the last one; resounded throughout the house.

I flinched again; surprised that the floor hadn't given way beneath them. I was even more surprised that Jake hadn't phased yet… or that the furniture was still intact. The only conclusion I could draw was that they were seemingly holding themselves back and that even though I couldn't see how things could possibly get any worse than they were right at this moment, they could undoubtedly get much, much worse…

Jake leaned down over Edward's shoulder and spoke in a low, threatening whisper. "The only way you're getting close to Bella is over my dead body, leech…" He looked like he was just dying for an excuse to rip Edward's arms off. "You got that? I'm not letting you have another opportunity to screw her over, you bastard!" He sounded angrier than I'd ever heard him before.

"You were supposed to never hurt her, you asshole!" He continued his rant. "You were supposed to ensure that she got everything she ever wanted!! I'd thought you'd love her forever and keep her happy! That was the only thought that kept me going through all these years… imagining her happy with you. How could you be so fucking _ignorant_ about the consequences of your actions?? How the fuck could you let her get pregnant, in the first place? And then, to drug her and perform an abortion when she was so obviously against it…? That was cold-blooded! " Jake was brutal…pulling no punches. "You hurt her, you fucker. You broke her heart and her spirit! And for that, you fucking deserve to die!" His tone implied his total sincerity.

"I'm not going to disagree with you on that." Edward sighed in defeat. "I made some terrible mistakes with Bella and I do deserve to be punished for them. Are you volunteering for the job, mutt?" It seemed almost as if he were asking Jake to hurt him.

"Don't tempt me." Jake growled, drawing his fist back menacingly.

This is it... this was what I had feared. Things were about to get much, much worse. If Jake threw that punch, things could turn ugly really fast. And who knew what kind of damage they could do to each other without some kind of intervention. One of them could even die. I couldn't afford to be shell-shocked anymore.

I sprung into action. "Jake! Edward!" I shrieked, running to them and trying to pull them apart. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that I was behaving stupidly… that it wasn't the wisest thing to do to put myself between an angry vampire and a furious werewolf… that I could get seriously hurt if they couldn't control themselves… but I ignored the warning flags in my head. My only concern in that moment was for Jake and Edward… I couldn't let either of them get hurt. "Stop it! Stop it, right now!" I spoke in a commanding tone but without any hope of being obeyed.

So, imagine my surprise when they both; albeit reluctantly; pulled away from each other.

I felt empowered.

"What the hell is wrong with the both of you?" I yelled. "Are you insane? How could you behave so irresponsibly? Just be glad that you didn't break anything in my room or you'd have been sorry!"

"What the hell is wrong with _you_?" Jake thundered right back. "Are you out of your _freaking mind_, jumping between us like that?!? Or do you have a death wish?"

"He's right! What were you thinking, Bella? You could've been seriously hurt!" Edward admonished.

_Unreal!_ Now they were both teaming up with each other against me?

"Uh… I was thinking that I didn't want either of you hurt…? That you looked like you'd like to kill each other and I'd have to stop you from doing so…?" I questioned disbelievingly. "Anyway it doesn't really matter what I was thinking. Suffice it to say that I trusted both of you to not hurt me, okay? That's more than I can say about either of you though." I sighed exasperatedly. "I thought I told you both that I don't want you hurting each other? What part of 'Don't kill each other' did you guys not understand?"

"I wouldn't have killed him… just hurt him a little bit…" Jake muttered defensively.

I glared at him.

"In your dreams, mutt…" Edward muttered childishly prompting me to turn my glare on him.

They both managed to look slightly shamefaced but made no effort to defend their actions.

I sighed once again. This was _definitely_ not how I'd envisioned my morning would be!

"Edward, why are you here? And before you go getting all technical, let me clarify, I didn't mean, here in Forks – I already know the answer to that… I meant, why are you _here_ _in my room_? Now…?"

"I meant what I told the mutt, Bella. I'm here because I wanted to talk to you. Now maybe I admit that I shouldn't have just walked in without any warning but I was afraid that you wouldn't agree to see me if I told you that I wanted to see you." He gave me a crooked smile. "I've lost the right to expect such things, isn't that what you said the last time, Bella? I've done too much damage to your trust in me. I could not expect the same reception as I would have gotten 6 years ago."

"So you just walked in on her? What kind of bizarre, twisted logic is that?" Jacob sounded disgusted. "And why should she see you in the first place? She doesn't have any obligation to do so."

"You're right Jacob." Edward agreed with a sigh. "She doesn't have to see me if she doesn't want to. But I was rather hoping that she would want to."

"Yeah, well, she doesn't!" Jacob immediately volleyed back.

Edward chose to ignore him once again and gave me a pleading look. "Please Bella; I really have to speak to you. This concerns what happened 4 years ago. I think it's high time you and I spoke about it, don't you?"

I suddenly felt lightheaded. The most horrendous pain was clawing through my heart.

God… he was talking about our baby… he was actually going to discuss this… out loud! He was expecting me to have a conversation about this! About how he'd heartlessly killed my beautiful baby boy. He expected us to talk about it… to actually discuss it like civilized adults!

I slid down to the ground bonelessly.

"Bella! _Bella…?_ Are you okay?" Jake's frantic voice came to me as if from a great distance. I was conscious of him cupping my face and looking in my eyes. But it was too much of an effort to respond.

"Bella? Honey?" I sensed Edward instinctively trying to come closer to me only to have Jake's firm hand slapped against his chest; holding him back.

"_Don't. Come. Near. Her!_" He spoke through gritted teeth. "What the fuck is wrong with you, leech? How the fuck could you do what you did to her anyway? You lied to her, drugged her and killed your unborn child! And then what…? Did you expect to live happily ever after? Did you think she'd forgive you? And now, you come here after so many years and just throw this at her head…? Your stupidity knows no bounds!"

"Dammit, I did what I had to save Bella's life and if I had to, I'd do it again…and again! If I hadn't acted when I did, she'd have _died_!!" Edward sounded tortured. "I had to save her… I couldn't let her die… not even for my child. She was being stubborn. She wouldn't listen to me! _I had to save her!_ You understand that, don't you, Jacob? You'd have done the same thing if you were in my place!"

Jacob remained silent; a plethora of emotions displayed on his face.

"No, he wouldn't have!" I piped up in Jake's defense when Jake himself refused to do so. Edward looked shocked by my sudden outburst. "He wouldn't have just _killed my child!_"

Before Jake could respond, Edward recovered. He threw a malicious smirk in Jake's direction. "You haven't told her…?" He sounded gleeful… like Christmas had come early. "Tell me, mutt, hasn't anyone ever told you that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others?"

Jake face was a picture of rising alarm. "Don't!" He blurted out; his eyes clenched shut.

Edward ignored his demand. "So, Bella, did Jacob happen to mention how happy he was that our child was dead?" he questioned nonchalantly.

My gaze snapped to Jake's face. The guilty look in his eyes shocked the hell out of me. I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. "Jake…?" I whispered disbelievingly.

He turned tortured eyes towards me. "No, Bella, no, don't listen to the leech. I never thought that I wanted your baby dead Bella. What he did, it makes me _sick_!"

"Yeah, sure… but some part of you is also happy about it, isn't it?" Edward drawled. "Because I'm pretty sure I heard the thank you's in your mind rather clearly."

"_You sick fucker!_" Jake growled, throwing a random punch at Edward; catching him off guard. A loud boom like the sound from a medium sized explosion reverberated around the whole room. Edward growled angrily but Jake paid him no heed. "Bells, please, you've got to listen to me, please!"

"Is it true?" I gasped. "Are you happy that my baby is dead?"

"No, Goddamit, no! I…ah… Bella, I'm just thrilled that you're still human... still alive! I'm beyond ecstatic that you're not dead! Is that so fucking wrong??" He questioned desperately. "The leech is just twisting my feelings to suit his purposes."

"Just answer the goddamn question, Jacob! Are you happy that my baby is dead?"

"YES!!" Jake thundered. "Yes…goddamit, yes, I'm happy!"

I gasped as a pain worse than any I'd ever experienced lashed through me. Unbidden tears rolled down my cheeks.

"How the hell else am I supposed to feel when you, in your own words told me that '_your baby was sucking the life out of you and that he would've used his teeth to tear its way out of your body'_, huh…?" Hearing my own words thrown back at me didn't them any easier to digest.

"But, baby, please believe me, I wouldn't have done the same thing if I was in his place. I would _never_ have drugged you; _never_ taken your choice away! No matter how much it'd killed me, I'd have still taken your decision into account. I'd have never gone behind your back and performed an abortion that I knew you didn't want, _never_! You've got to believe me, honey, please!" Jake pleaded with me softly.

"Ugggghhhhh" Dylan and Lisa stumbled into my room in their pajamas' with bleary red eyes. "What in the world is this infernal racket all about?" Dylan whispered, looking like he was in a lot of pain. "And so early in the morning too! Don't any of you have any respect for the hammer that's banging in my head right now? I'd decided to just lie in bed till I died from an aneurism but no; you guys couldn't even let me die in peace, you _had_ to start yelling and banging on things…" He continued grumbling. Lisa, on the other hand was unnaturally pale and quiet. They were both clearly, completely hung-over. "Now that you've managed to wake me up, would someone please mind telling me why we're shouting? In fact, why are we even talking at all? Let's all be really, really quiet…" Dylan admonished, still whispering.

Lisa stumbled to a stop' her attention drawn to Edward who was leaning casually against the bedroom wall. "_Jesus Christ_… _Who is this guy?_" She sounded awestruck, another victim to Edward's overwhelming beauty.

I found that I didn't care for any of it at the moment. "How could you not tell me, Jake?" I was devastated.

I couldn't help feeling betrayed. Both the men in my life were happy that I'd lost my child. How could I deal with that?

He dropped to his knees in front of me in a gesture of supplication. His eyes were begging for my understanding… my forgiveness.

"What was I supposed to tell you, Bells? When? And no matter how I'd told you, would you have reacted any differently than you're reacting now?"

"Oh, I don't know _Jacob_… but I think the topic could've come up sometime between the time I told you about my divorce and the time I _slept_ with you!" I lashed out wildly. "You _lied_ to me!" I continued heartbrokenly. "You're no better than _him_!"

"I _never_ lied to you Bells!" Jake reiterated forcefully.

"Well, maybe not in so many words, but by omission. You let me believe that you were as against what Edward did as I was…"

"I _am _against it! I _hate_ what he did to you honey." Jake spoke convincingly.

I glanced away from his persuasive expression. I didn't know what to believe anymore. But I did know that my trust in him had been badly shaken by Edward's little bombshell.

By then, Lisa and Dylan who'd somewhat recovered from their hangover; had figured out that something was very wrong between Jake and me and were throwing us alarmed glances.

"Bella...please…?" Jake begged desperately.

I wasn't in the state of mind to think rationally. "I think you should leave Jake…" I spoke softly… firmly.

"Wha…? No! Don't, Bella! Don't do this to us." He responded with angry desperation almost as if he knew he was losing me. "Don't let him do this to us…"

"Please _leave_ Jake…"

His expression closed up, becoming a rigid mask. "No! I'm not leaving you alone with this bloodsucker and that's final!" He answered decisively.

"Oh my God, this is _Edward_, isn't he?" Lisa breathed in the silence that followed.

Once again, no one reacted to her comment.

"Go, just _GO_!" I screamed shrilly when I couldn't take it any longer. "I can't talk to you right now! _I can't even look at you!!_"

His rigid mask slipped and I caught a glimpse of the agony that he was going through.

My fury wavered slightly. "Please Jake; I'm not saying I won't talk to you at all. I just need some time. I need to sort this whole mess out in my head, okay? I'll call you soon…"

"_Fuck that, Bella!_ This is so typical of you. When you're alone and hurting; it's always Jake to the rescue. Then your precious bloodsucker comes along and its bye, bye Jake. Well, I'm not a dog that you can call to heel whenever you want to. You can't just chain me up and then take me out to play when you have the time or the desire to do so." I flinched at the thinly veiled sarcasm in his voice. He saw my reaction and made a conscious effort to calm down. "I'm your best friend, Bella. You've known me your whole life. You know me more than you ever knew this leech. You know what I'm capable of." He repeated his words forcefully. "You _know_ me!"

His tone hardened once again. "So, either you trust me now and believe in what I'm telling you or I'm done! What's it going to be Bella?" He held out his hand for me. "Either give me your hand and trust me, or end it now and put us both out of our misery!"

I looked at him and his extended hand helplessly. Maybe he was right and maybe everything he said was true but I still couldn't give him what he wanted. Not right now…not just yet.

I chocked back a sob. "I want to give you what you want but I can't. I just _can't_! I'm _so_ sorry Jacob… "

His mouth tightened in a straight line; his eyes filled with sorrow. "Of course you are…You _always_ are." He jerked his head towards where Edward was standing, "If I go, he goes." He said while gesturing towards Edward.

"No. He said he wanted to talk to me. He's staying…" I spoke firmly knowing full well the consequences of my actions.

"Perfect… just _freaking_ perfect!" Jake swore furiously.

Then he rounded on Edward. "_Congratulations leech_." He spoke bitterly. "You've still got it. Your talent for ruining things between Bella and me is unparalleled. I hope you're happy with all that you've done."

Finally, he turned towards where Lisa and Dylan were still standing shell-shocked. His expression softened. "Take care of her. I'm counting on you."

The next instant he was bending down to pick up his button down shirt and his shoes from where they were lying scattered on the floor besides the bed.

His action brought to mind the events of the previous night…of how I'd been the one to urge him to take his clothes off and the spectacular things that'd followed later. He'd made me feel blazingly alive. How could life be so wonderful and promising one moment and so screwed up the next? How had we come from that moment to this…?

The memories caused tears of sorrow to fill my eyes and I almost made a movement to stop him…almost, but not quite…

As soon as he'd gathered up his things, he just turned around and stalked out of the door and away from me without a backward glance.

The moment he left the room; the gravity of the situation dawned on me.

'_He's gone. He's just gone. He really left.'_

No, that wasn't right… he hadn't _just_ left! I'd pushed him away… once again. And for what…? Because he was happy that I was alive…?

Jake had always freely admitted how he felt about me. He'd also never tried to hide his feelings about me choosing to become a vampire. He'd been blunt enough to tell me that he'd rather me be dead than see me become a leech…his words, not mine. But, at the same time, he'd fought fiercely to keep me alive. So how was this situation any different than those times?

Was it different just because it involved my unborn child… a topic that I was obviously still touchy about…? And was it really his fault that he didn't share my belief that giving birth would not have resulted in my death… when my own husband hadn't been able to believe it? Was I really going to hold his caring for me against him?

"Oh my God… what have I done??" Great, wrenching sobs shook my body.

Lisa rushed towards me, taking me in her arms and patting my back soothingly while Dylan crouched down next to us and ran his hand over my hair murmuring, "Shh Izzy…shh…shhhh… don't cry. Everything will work out."

"B…bu…bu…but… he's gone. I sent him away…" I wailed heartbrokenly. "I've lost him again!! He's never going to forgive me…not this time."

"Oh, sweetheart, don't cry… don't worry. You're not going to lose him. He'll be back. We'll get him back, even if we have to drag him back, won't we, Lisa?" Dylan soothed.

"Bella…?" Edward said tentatively, edging closer to where I was sitting on the ground.

"Don't!" Dylan interrupted sharply waving him away. "Stay away, I'm warning you! Leave her alone. Haven't you done enough damage already? You've been here for what, an hour, and you've already screwed up Bella's relationship with Jacob! What the hell do you want with her now?"

Dylan's sudden macho act shocked me into silence. My tears dried up. I couldn't believe Dylan was being so brave as to knowingly talk back to a vampire. Well, maybe it wasn't so much brave as it was suicidal…

"Dylan… it's alright."

"It is _not_ alright! How is it _fucking_ alright, tell me that?" Dylan was extremely agitated. "He's going to hurt you again, everyone knows that… Jake knows that. Why do you think he told me to take care of you? Well, I'm taking his advice seriously and sticking to you like glue…and I'm keeping this 'person' away from you. He's bad news Izzy and you know it."

"Hey, its okay, I swear. Edward won't hurt me…not physically." I reassured him. I gave Edward a pointed look. "Right?"

"Yeah, well… it's the emotional aspect that we're worried about. He screwed you up Bella!" Lisa chimed in; throwing Edward an angry glance. "No one knows that better than we do… Why would you want to go through all that hell again?"

I sighed. "I dunno… maybe I'm a closet masochist. God… I really don't know. But, I still feel like I need to do this. It's been four years. I can't keep running away from life or my past forever, can I? Let me just find out what he has to say, okay?" Dylan was clearly still reluctant to leave me alone with Edward but he went along with my words. I leaned closer to him and pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek. Then I repeated the gesture with Lisa. I was so fortunate to have wonderful friends like them. "I'll be fine…really…"

I urged them to leave the room which they did; reluctantly and glaring at Edward the whole while.

Then I focused my attention on Edward. "So, what is it that you want Edward?" I sighed tiredly, not making any effort to mask my reluctance to talk to him.

"Bella, I…uh… wanted to apologize to you for what happened between us."

My gazed snapped to him. "What…?"

He squirmed uncomfortably, refusing to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry for the things I did four years ago, Bella I really am. Well… that's not completely true. I'm still not sorry for saving your life. I'll never be sorry for that." He gave me a defiant look. "But when I married you, I promised you that I'd never hurt you and I broke my promise to you. I'm sorry for that. And most of all, I'm sorry for breaking your heart…" He said sincerely.

I looked at him like he'd taken a leave of his senses. I was at a loss for words. "It doesn't matter that you're sorry Edward! It doesn't bring my child back!" He gave me a pained look. "He's still gone, and I'm never getting him back…never! But if all that matters to you is that I forgive you, then fine… I forgive you! There, happy?" I spoke exasperatedly.

"Her…" He corrected me softly.

"What?" I asked, mystified.

"Her" he repeated. "Our baby, was a her not a him… We had a baby girl…"

"Oh _God_…" I whispered hoarsely, staring at him in disbelief.

"I named her Renesmee… after your mother and mine… I thought you'd like that."

"Oh my _God_…" The tenuous control I'd managed to gain over my emotions fractured and the tears broke through; flooding my eyes and shattering my soul. I bent my head, my shoulders jerking with sobs that I couldn't suppress any longer.

"Oh darling… please, please don't cry…" Edward groaned, yanking me in his arms. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am…" He whispered brokenly.

I had no idea how long I cried or how long Edward just sat there holding me in his arms, making soothing noises but when the tears finally dried up; I was conscious of a feeling of being completely drained of emotion.

"Would you like to visit her?" Edward questioned hesitantly.

I pulled away from him to look at him in bewilderment. "Wha…?"

"I had her buried on the grounds of our old house here. This… Forks is your home, Bella. I knew it was only a matter of time before you came back here and I thought you might appreciate having her here so that you could go and visit occasionally…"

"Oh my _God_…" The tears that I thought were spent started up once again. "She's here…? Really?" I clung to him in desperation.

"Yes she is. Would you like to go visit?"

"Yes, please…" I answered fiercely, suddenly desperately eager to meet my daughter for the first time.

Leaving the house was easier said than done with Lisa and Dylan being overprotective and Renee being antsy about letting me go anywhere with Edward. But, somehow I managed to convince them that we had something important that we needed to do.

The drive to the Cullen house passed in silence. My thoughts were a chaotic mess. Ironically, I was simultaneously looking forward to and dreading this visit. On the one hand, I was finally…finally, going to visit my daughter's grave, a grave that I hadn't even known existed until now. One of the things I'd always regretted throughout these last few years was my absolute lack of connection to my child. One second I'd been happily enjoying the feeling of having my 'little nudger' living inside of me and the next second, he was gone! And I'd had no idea where. It always seemed like he…_she_… had just disappeared into thin air… gone without a trace. It almost made it hard to believe sometimes… like I'd only imagined it. So, this, at least gave me some proof that I hadn't been crazy or delusional… that I hadn't imagined it in any way.

On the other, I was visiting my daughter's _grave_. I had no idea how I was going to cope with this.

I was shaken out of my apathy by our arrival at the old Cullen house. I'd been so immersed in my morose musings that I had absolutely no recollection of how we got there.

I got out of the car with a lot of trepidation in my heart. I'm sure all the vampires in the area could hear my heart go a mile a minute. After just a minor hesitation I decided to bite the bullet and just see this through.

I indicated for Edward to lead the way and followed him as he made his way to the edge of their property; towards a large tree on a grassy knoll. There, I came across a tiny etched, marble tombstone bearing my unborn child's name – Renesmee.

I clutched Edward's hand violently, finding that I needed his support in order to get through the next few minutes. A haze of sorrow and anguish descended on me.

'_Renesmee… My baby girl… my beautiful baby girl…'_

"It's a lovely name…" I whispered in agony. "Very thoughtful."

He patiently stood with me, letting me take in my surroundings before urging me ahead.

As we drew closer to the grave he began talking to me, almost absentmindedly, "She was beautiful Bella – so tiny, so fragile; just like her mother… " My breath caught on a gasp, my whole heart, my soul ached. He just went on as if he was in a trance. "I couldn't put her in some random cemetery you see. She had to be here… close to us… close to her family. I think you should know that I gave her a proper funereal. I'm just sorry that you couldn't come. You were in too much shock; you didn't even know what was happening to you at the time. But I sent her lots of flowers from the both of us, pink roses… beautiful, delicate like her. And I sent her lots of cards, all of them saying the same thing, 'We loved you.'"

I shuddered violently and his tormented gaze snapped to mine. "I loved her, Bella." He spoke fiercely. "I know you think I didn't, but _I did_! I was just too selfish… I loved you _more_!" His voice betrayed the anguish he was going through. "I couldn't have gone on living in a world that didn't have you in it. I'm sorry Bella… I'm sorry for putting my needs before yours, before hers. I'm so, so sorry! Forgive me, please…?"

Some part of my soul; that'd been broken for the past four years finally healed itself. For the first time since the whole ordeal, I allowed myself to see Edward as something other than a villain. I saw his pain, his torment, his anguish, his remorse…

I pulled him into my arms, crying openly once again… crying for him, crying for me, crying for our doomed marriage but most of all, crying for a little girl who was never meant to be born…

He buried his face in my neck, trembling and making loud noises of ill-concealed grief. "It's okay Edward… it's okay. I do forgive you…" And surprisingly enough, I really meant it this time. I drew a shuddering breath. "It's over now, it's done. There's nothing we can do to change anything. Don't think about it…"

Somehow, we comforted each other through the storm of grief enveloping us. When we resurfaced; for the first time in the last four years, I felt at peace…with myself and with him. Yes, there was still plenty of grieving to be done but for the first time I felt optimistic that I could finally begin to put this behind me and move on.

"Thank you, Edward…" I sighed; exhausted beyond belief from the rollercoaster of emotions I'd gone through today. "Thank you for sharing this with me…"

"Did you mean it, Bella…? When you said you forgave me, did you mean it?" He asked in a small voice.

"Yes, I forgive you. I think I kinda understand why you did what you did. It still wasn't right and it still was a shitty thing to do, but I do understand."

"Thank you." He sighed in relief, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. "Does this mean we can move on? Does it mean that you'd be willing to consider giving me another chance?"

"_What?_" I squeaked incredulously and struggled against him till he released me from his arms. "You're kidding, right?"

He just gave me a solemn look. "I love you, Bella. I want another chance."

Oh my God… Where the hell was this coming from?

My flabbergasted expression must've given him some clue to my feelings. He scrambled to make himself clear. "Come on, Bella, you can't be that surprised to know that I still have feelings for you. Years ago, when I first met you I told you that I'd love you forever. I meant it then and I haven't changed my mind."

"God, Edward… I don't know what to say. Don't hate me but I think it's only fair to tell you that even if you haven't changed your mind, I have." His looked crushed. "Look, I'm really sorry, but it's been almost half a decade since the day you're talking about to today! A lot has happened in that half decade… I've grown up, I've experienced too much. I can't just go back to the way things were…"

"Is this about you becoming a vampire?"

"Well, yes, that's part of the problem. I've changed my mind, Edward. I can't go ahead with my transformation, I just can't. I can't do that to the people who love me. If losing Renesmee has taught me anything, it's how difficult the loss of a child can be for the parents. I couldn't ever put my parents through that. I'm sorry but I could never become a vampire now."

"But that's just it, Bella." He began earnestly. "You don't have to become one of us for us to be together. In fact, I've always maintained that I didn't want this kind of a life for you. I've always wanted you to have a human life. I still feel the same way. You wanting to become one of us was your choice. And now if you've changed your mind about it, that's completely alright. I'll love you regardless of what you decide to do. And I'll stay with you, no matter what…"

"Oh, Edward… that's so sweet of you and I really appreciate the sentiment; but that's only one of the problems we have. I really have grown up. I don't want the same things from life that I did back then." I finished awkwardly. I had no clue how to let him know that I didn't have any feelings for him whatsoever. "I've moved on, Edward." That was the best I could come up with.

"In other words, you don't love me anymore." Edward summarized my awkward explanation dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Edward." Why bother denying it when it was the truth? "Let's just be friends, okay?"

"What about Jacob Black?" He asked seemingly out of nowhere.

"What about him?" I repeated confused about how Jake had come to be a part of this discussion.

"Well, it's obvious that there's something going on between you two." I blushed guiltily. "What I'd like to know is how you're okay with giving him a chance when you're obviously not willing to do the same for me. If I recall correctly, six years ago, you spent an awful lot of time convincing me that you loved me more than him." He was beginning to sound disgruntled. "Was that just a bunch of bullshit? Or have things changed that much?"

I exhaled loudly. Edward was swearing. This was about to get ugly. Oh boy…

"Okay, first of all, yes, there's something 'going on' between Jake and me. Don't ask me what it is because I don't know yet. But, yeah, as you said, I was… still am, willing to give him a chance. Once again, I don't really know why, Edward. The only thing I do know is yes, as far as I'm concerned, things have changed _that_ much. Six years ago, you were the center of my existence. But not any longer. Six years ago, I never gave Jacob a fair chance. Today I want to…"

Edward growled his displeasure. "Why, Bella? We're both still the same people, trust me. There's no change at all between who we were back then and who we are now! He's _still_ the same! _I'm_ still the same!"

"Well, I'm not!" I snapped. "Besides, Edward, you'd do well not to compare yourself to him right now. You wouldn't like the outcome of that comparison, trust me."

"Really? And why is that, Bella? What does he suddenly have that he didn't have six years ago? And what does he have that I don't?" Edward argued.

"For one thing, I believe him when he says that he wouldn't have done what you did to me four years ago, Edward!" I screeched pushed beyond all endurance. I really hadn't wanted to do this right now, especially not after we'd had such a poignant moment of healing between us, but he just had to keep pushing and pushing. "He's hundred times the man you are, Edward! He would never have conned me and performed an abortion behind my back. My feelings, my emotions, my decisions… they all have some value in his eyes, they always did! You, on the other hand, were always too willing – eager actually – to decide what you thought was best for me without giving a damn about how your decisions would affect me!"

"I thought you said you forgave me for that…" He complained petulantly.

"Yeah, well, so did I! I guess we were both wrong, huh?" I asked him in aggravation, and then felt sorry when his face fell in disappointment. "Look Edward, I really don't know why I'm with Jacob, okay? All I know is that he's different and sweet and caring…aside from being my best friend, of course…and he respects me, my opinions. I just want to find out where this will go, okay? I want to give us a chance and see if there's a future for us…" I tried my best to be frank with him about my feelings.

"You're in love with the mutt, aren't you?" he breathed.

I stared at him blankly, trying to assimilate his words.

'_What? What?? What??? Oh my GOD… Is that what this is…? OH MY GOD!!!'_

He could see the dawning realization on my face.

"You didn't know, did you?" He questioned.

Suddenly, this was the last place I wanted to be. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" I called over my shoulder, hurrying towards the car… Edward's car… shit!

"Edward, could you please drive me home… or maybe to the border…?" I asked him hopefully.

"What…? No!" He grabbed my arm, turning me around to face him. "Don't go, Bella, we aren't done talking about this yet…"

"Not now, Edward… I have to go talk to Jake, _now_!" I argued impatiently.

"Bella, listen to me, he'll only hurt you."

"No, he won't…"

"Has he imprinted on you?" He questioned impatiently.

I froze in mid-step, my entire body rebelling at the thought of the hated 'I' word.

Edward must've read my emotions loud and clear because he had a triumphant smile on his face. "That's what I thought." He exclaimed trying to rein in his joy. "He's the alpha, Bella. Chances are he'll imprint on someone – he has to find his wolfy soulmate for continuing the alpha bloodline and obviously, since it hasn't happened already – that someone isn't going to be you. What happens to you when he meets the person he's supposed to spend his eternity with, Bella? How could he not end up hurting you, breaking your heart…?"

The thought of Jake… _My Jake_… imprinting on some unknown, random girl… of loving her, wanting her beyond anything in the world, was unbearable. My heart splintered into a million pieces.

"Think about it Bella, he could be with you for five-ten years, marry you, have children with you, build a life with you and even then, once he met his imprint, none of it would matter." His words were like a thousand knives, penetrating my soul, drawing blood… "He'd still be unable to choose you over her. Are you really willing to risk that? Are you willing to risk turning into another Leah?"

Was I? Was I really willing to take that kind of a risk? Was it worth being with Jake for a few days, weeks, months, maybe, if I was lucky, a few years if I knew that somewhere down the line he'd end up breaking my heart? Would I ever end up regretting the time I spent with Jake… would I ever really regret loving Jake…?

If I asked Leah whether she regretted loving Sam, would her answer be yes…? Given a choice, would she wish she'd never loved him in the first place…?

Somehow I didn't think so. Just like I could never regret loving Jake. Even if we only had a few days together, I'd still want to spend them loving him…and telling him that I loved him.

Having made up my mind, I looked at Edward resolutely. "Are you driving me or should I ask Alice to drive me?"

He sighed defeatedly, realizing that nothing he said could make me change my mind. "Fine, I'll drive you, but I'm not leaving you alone at the damn border. I'm taking you home and that's the best offer you're going to get out of me."

"Oh no, it's actually fine to drop me at the border because I was thinking of calling Dylan and asking him to meet me there." Now that I'd finally discovered my feelings for Jake I couldn't help feeling this sense of urgency… like I had to tell him, _now_!

Edward had a sour look on his face but thankfully he didn't say anything.

As soon as the car started moving I made a hurried call to Dylan asking him to pick me up. When he asked what the all-fired hurry was, I replied by saying "I have to let the guy I love know that I love him." He immediately understood who I was talking about and his only response was a whoop of joy and a "It's about damn time." I couldn't help laughing giddily. Dylan's joy was kinda contagious and I basked in it and in the feeling of wellness that being in love gave you.

It wasn't until we reached the rez that things went to shit. I hurried up to Jake's house and knocked excitedly, imagining his reaction to my sudden epiphany. Even when the door was opened by Embry instead of Jake, I didn't immediately realize that something was wrong.

"Hey Embry, is uh, Jake here? I really need to talk to him." I said while trying to look over his shoulder; searching for Jake.

"Oh… Jake's gone Bella." Embry mentioned apologetically. "I thought he would've told you before he left."

The smile dropped off my face by slow degrees.

"Gone…? What do you mean he's gone?" I questioned uneasily. "Gone where…?"

"He's gone back to Seattle, Bella. He left more than an hour ago."

"_What?_" I tried to ignore the warning bells going off in my head.

'_We're done, Bella….' _

'_Either give me your hand and trust me or end it now, and put us both out of our misery.'_

Oh my God… what if he meant it…? What if he…?

'_Calm down Bella. There could be a perfectly simple, totally logical explanation for this.'_

"Well, okay, when is he going to be back then?" I asked optimistically.

"Uh… umm… he didn't exactly say anything but I got the distinct impression that he didn't mean to come back. He told Leah to take charge and to let him know about all further developments regarding our 'dream vamp'. He made it pretty clear that he didn't want to bother with this situation for the moment. "

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.

'_It's over… it's really over…'_

I didn't even realize I had begun walking back to the car till I heard Embry calling from behind me. "Hey, Bella, you alright?"

I turned back reluctantly. Would I be able to lie convincingly? "Uh, yeah… I'm fine, Em. Thank you for asking."

He didn't exactly look convinced but thankfully he made no further effort to stop me as I turned back towards the driveway once again.

Just as I reached the car I heard the sound of running footsteps behind me. "Bella, wait up." Embry called. "Fuck!" He fumbled with something before thrusting a piece of paper in my face. "Here…" I took it instinctively and noticed that something had been hastily scribbled on it.

"What is this?" I turned around questioningly.

"It's the address of our apartment in Seattle." I turned surprised eyes to his own understanding ones. "You looked like you needed it. Besides, you're the only one who can knock some sense into him right now and boy… does he need it! Just don't tell him you got the address from me, okay? Otherwise, I'm a dead man." He said ruefully.

Impulsively and with a growing sense of excitement, I jumped into his arms to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Em. You're a good friend."

The unexpected kiss made him blush. The compliment made him smile. "Yeah, I am, aren't I? Just don't let Jake forget it, okay? Especially if he manages to find out that you got the address from me."

"Don't worry… if Jake does find out, I'll protect you." I reassured him. The thought made him grin in amusement but instead of teasing me about it he gave me an exuberant hug. "Go, get him, Bella!"

I gave him a bright smile before walking over to the driver's side of the car.

"Move over." I told Dylan who looked at me in confusion. "I'm driving!" I insisted.

"Okaaay… but, where are we going?" Dylan questioned.

"_We_ aren't going anywhere. _You_ are going home. _I_ am going to Seattle."

"Why Seattle…? And why all of a sudden?"

"To knock some sense into a crazy, idiotic, moronic werewolf!" I responded emphatically.

Dylan gave me an elated smile that I couldn't help but return.

I wasn't going to give up without a fight. Bella Swan was going to fight for her man.

'_Look out Jacob Black, here I come!'_

**A/N: - Alright, you know the drill guys… No reviews, no updates! Nuf' said!**

**As usual, a huge thanks goes out to my kickass betas Cheryl and Ashley. Couldn't have this without either of them. Their constant patience and support amazes me. **

**Also, a very special thank you to my soulmate, Erin. She keeps me in line and keeps me true to my characters. She also puts up with all my crap, all my insecurities and gives me brilliant, stupendous advice. And then there's the constant support and encouragement that she provides. Aside from being an amazing writer herself and a kickass lemon consultant, she's the best friend a girl could ever have. Thanks babe, you're one in a million!**

**So, click the green 'Review this Story/Chapter' button and leave a review. Come on, you know you want to…**


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Disclaimer: - None of the characters are mine. But I **_**am**_** planning a wild, desperate scheme to kidnap Jake! Who's volunteering to drive the getaway car…? LOL!**

**Ohmigosh, 44 reviews for one chapter…? Wow! Thank you so much, you guys! I don't even know what to say, except, I'm overwhelmed by the love and support you people have given me and this story. And, btw, I love all of you right back! :) Thank you so much and please keep the love coming!**

**I'd also like to thank those of you who left me a review without logging into their accounts. See, I usually reply to each and every review I get and if you guys just take the time to log in next time, I can reply to yours as well. I'd love to be able to thank u personally! But, nonetheless, thank you ****Nasrat, Anonymous61782, Knightvanilla and EvelinCullen for your wonderful reviews for this chapter and thank you nerdhawaii for your wonderful reviews for the last three chapters. Every single one of them has meant a lot to me. And if I've forgotten to mention anyone else, I'm really sorry. **

**As usual, this chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF - Erin, Ashley, Cheryl and Wendy**.

**Now, let's just get on with the chapter, right?**

JPOV

I threw the door to my condo open impatiently; unzipping my jacket and throwing it aside even as I stepped inside and pulled the door shut; exerting a lot more power than was necessary. The resulting bang resounded around the empty house loudly. The minor display of pique was mildly satisfying but it did absolutely nothing to calm me down.

'_Son of a bitch! That fucking, lying, murdering son of a bitch! I should've torn him apart piece by piece and then made a bonfire of him while I'd had the chance! And Bella…? God I'd thought that things were finally different between us…that we were finally going somewhere with our relationship. You'd think I would've learned my lesson about her six years ago, right? But no; I was still the idiotic fool who desperately begged and pleaded for another chance while she and the leech secretly laughed over my puny efforts'._

The 2 and a half hour or so of crazy driving I'd done from Forks to Seattle had _failed _to cure me of my intense rage and I was still as angry, and as furious as I'd been when I'd left Bella's house this morning. I still felt like I could hit the first person to step one foot out of line and being on such a narrow edge was unacceptable to me; not to mention, highly dangerous.

What I wanted; what I _needed_ – well aside from punching the leech right in the face – was a glorious, full out run in the wild but that was obviously out of the question. So, I was going to settle for a really cold, really refreshing – hopefully – beer. I was banking on the fact that the cold beverage would cool my pulsing veins somewhat and push the almost uncontrollable urge to phase in the background.

In retrospect I wish I'd given in the overwhelming urge to phase when I'd left Bella with the leech this morning but at that time, the only thing that'd mattered was getting away from them as soon as possible.

Besides, I was no longer the young teenager who couldn't control his anger and impulses and who burst out of his skin the second things got crazy. I'd fought long and hard with my inner animal to gain control of him and damn if I'd let anyone steal it away from me – even if it was Bella – the one person in the world who could influence my actions more than everyone else combined. Nope…I'd fight tooth and nail so that her actions didn't affect me in that way.

'_I am an alpha and dammit 'I' am in control of my actions – no one else.'_

I shrugged off my jeans impatiently; leaving my clothes strewn in a heap along the way to my bedroom. I didn't particularly feel like picking up after myself right then and I figured since I was the only one in the house right now that I could leave that chore for later – much later.

I pulled on my cut-offs and stalked to the kitchen angrily, almost pulling the door right off the refrigerator in my anger. Shit, I had to be a little more careful than that…

I reached in and picked up 4 pints of beer because one was definitely not going to be enough to get me where I wanted to go; not due to my freakish metabolism and definitely _not_ in my current state of mind.

I threw myself down on the living room sofa, opened the first bottle and chugged down its contents in one gulp before opening the next one.

'_Dammit all to hell!'_

Every time I closed my eyes, all I could picture was Bella – my Bella, who'd gone wild in my arms just last night – with the fucking leech; doing god only knows what with him! He'd said he wanted to talk to her but talk my ass, I scoffed to myself, I _knew_ the bloodsucker had more than talk on his mind! I might not be a mind reader but even I was smart enough to see the leech's visit for what it was – an opportunity to make nice and try to get back in her good graces! Why in the goddamn hell could Bella not see it? How was it that a smart, sensible, logical girl like Bella lost her mind so completely when he was around?!? Well, whatever, I didn't care anymore! I'd told her I was done and I meant it. If Bella wanted to make the same mistake she'd made in the past and trust that fucker again, who was I to get in the way. She could do whatever she wanted to with her life!

'_Yeah, and I'll believe you really mean it when you believe it yourself! Oh, and when you stop drinking beer like water…'_

I threw a disgusted glance at the empty bottle in my hand as well as the other three equally empty bottles on the coffee table.

Oh who was I fucking kidding with this…? Of course I cared! I'd always cared and _that_ was the whole goddamn problem!

Fuck! This was definitely not working. I was still vibrating with unresolved frustration. If only I'd thrown more than a punch at the leech when I had the chance. Fuck, it'd have been immensely satisfying to beat the parasite up into a bloody pulp…figuratively, of course!

When I found myself fantasizing about all the things I could've done to the leech if it hadn't been for Bella's presence and found myself on the verge of bursting out of my skin on account of said fantasies, I decided that enough was enough.

I instinctively picked up one of the empty beer bottles and threw it with all my might towards the fireplace. The bottle hit the grate and shattered into hundreds of pieces.

Dammit, I _needed_ a run! There was nothing like the glorious feeling of the earth beneath your paws and the utter oneness with nature that came from phasing. I needed to burn off this excess energy I seemed to have and it was frustrating the hell out of me that I couldn't do it. Irrationally, I blamed that too on Bella. In my mind, I couldn't help but think that since she'd been the one to tell me to leave; she was the one responsible for taking the release away from me.

Denied my one sure fire outlet to all my feelings, I decided that I needed to channelize my fury into something else.

And I knew just the thing I could channelize it into. So what if I couldn't beat the shit out of the leech; I could still beat the shit out of a punching bag, couldn't I?

I quickly donned a pair of workout shorts, grabbed my wraps and quickly taped up both my wrists, but did not bother to slip on the gloves. I realized that I wanted… no _needed_ the contact, even if it was only with the bag. Then, I put on my sneakers and grabbed a towel; making my way towards my most favorite part of the house; the workout room… with the intention of taking out all of my frustrations on an inanimate object.

As I went through my warm-up routine I couldn't help but relive the moments between Bella and me…and the leech, of course and a fresh wave of agony and anger coursed through me. Agony that even after everything that we'd been through, Bella hadn't been able to trust me completely and anger that the leech had once again managed to mess things between Bella and me royally.

Stupid, fucking leech… he had the worst sense of timing in the world! Six years ago, just when I'd been about to kiss Bella for the first time ever and she'd been about to kiss me back, he'd managed to stop it from happening – and without even physically being there – by going on a suicide mission to Italy.

Now, when things were finally on the right path for Bella and me, he managed to mess it up once again by twisting my words and telling Bella that I'd wanted her baby dead. . I guess I should be thankful that he hadn't dropped in unannounced last night but I wasn't in any mood to be thankful to the leech for anything. The bastard had ruined what should've been one of the happiest days of my life after all!

Fuck! My thoughts had been subconscious… just a reaction to the horror of hearing her talk about the pregnancy from hell and the sheer relief I'd felt at her being alive. They hadn't been meant to be uttered out loud or even acted on. I knew myself well enough to know that I hadn't been lying to Bella when I told her that I wouldn't have ever acted on my thoughts… especially not the way the leech had. No matter how much it would've killed me to do so – if I'd been in the leech's shoes – I'd have managed to take her wishes into account before taking such a drastic step on my own. I don't know if I could've changed the outcome but I do know that I would've ensured that Bella and I were on the same page before going off and drugging her into submission.

And despite this certainty; I'd almost managed to make myself sick with guilt about my reaction before I'd sorted through my thoughts enough to reach this conclusion. And wasn't it was funny how the leech had conveniently forgotten to mention _that_ fact to Bella when he was talking about the apparent relief I'd felt at her baby being dead?!?

Fuck, I hated the fact that he'd somehow managed to convince Bella that he was a paragon of virtue instead of the lying, manipulative, cold blooded monster that he really was. How could she still go on taking his side against mine, even after everything he'd done to her…? He'd been the one to leave her and break her heart, to dupe her into getting married; he'd been the one to murder her child in cold blood and yet somehow, _I_ was the one who got thrown out of her room. When it came to a choice between him and me, she still chose _him_. When I asked her to trust me, she still trusted _him!_ I trembled violently, the thought, unfortunately doing nothing to cool my temper.

Thankfully, I had the house to myself…which meant; no Quil, no Embry around to pester the hell out of me and question me about what went on with Bella and the leech. No Quil and no Embry around to question my mood... No Quil and no Embry around to whom I'd have to explain my temper or my lack of control to…

Thank God!

I _knew_ that this was only a temporary reprieve and that I'd have to face them all soon enough but I was thankful for even this brief opportunity. What this basically meant was that I could let loose and be myself; no holding back. I could be as violent, as vicious as, and as volatile as I wanted to be and there'd be no one around who'd be shocked or concerned by my actions. There'd be no one around who'd question my brutality; no one around who'd be concerned about my 'mental health'! For once and for the first time since I assumed the position of alpha, I didn't have to be in fucking control of my actions and thoughts all the _fucking_ time. In other words, I could be just Jake and not 'Jake – the alpha'.

I started with a basic routine; a couple of jabs and right crosses as I moved around quickly on my feet.

Once I was sufficiently loosened up I began a more intense combo; hitting a jab, cross, hook and working in an offensive spin kick in-between.

Using the technique I'd learned to keep my thoughts to myself while phased; I tried to consciously shut down all my thought processes one by one and concentrate only on this moment.

Unfortunately, some things were impossible to ignore – like Bella. I couldn't stop thinking about last night and how amazingly responsive she'd been. The way she'd looked while I was inside her, the sounds she'd made, the way she'd said my name in the midst of passion, the way she'd clung to me, the look in her eyes as she'd trembled in my arms... Each moment was vividly etched in my mind. Dammit! I couldn't shut her out of my mind and _that_ pissed me off no end!

And then for her to treat me the way she did this morning…

I shut down that line of thought with difficulty and kept up a steady rhythm, focusing only on landing my fists on the punching bag and not on the technique of how or where they landed. And I pictured the leech's face. Hitting him, punching him, beating the shit out of him… Damn, it felt invigorating!

Sweat started steadily gathering and pouring down my face and torso but I didn't stop, not even to wipe it off.

Jab…

Punch…

Kick…

I let go of all semblance of control that I'd striven to cultivate for so many years and just let my feelings flow. I let go of all my finesse and technique and just reveled in imagining how Eddie boy's pretty face would look like after I'd rearranged every single feature on his face... or better yet, broken it down into tiny pieces of stone and ground it into fine dust. Fucking, interfering parasite!

I don't know how long I kept up the grueling pace. It was mindless, it was stimulating, it was liberating…

A loud snap, followed by a reverberating thud filled the room; snapping me out of the red haze of anger that'd been clouding my mind since I left Forks this morning. I stared blankly at the punching bag lying on the floor in front of me and then threw a glance at the broken chain dangling from the ceiling for a moment. I exhaled loudly as I took in the damage. Embry and Quil were _not_ going to be happy with me. Not that I was particularly bothered by their reaction at the moment. I shrugged off the thought nonchalantly.

As I struggled to steady my breath I came to the realization that if nothing else, my workout had succeeded in giving me a couple of insights. One – I'd worked myself beyond the point of exhaustion here but I still hadn't achieved the desired result. Which led to realization number two – this workout obviously hadn't helped me out the way it should have and I was still raging internally. And three – and the most daunting of them all was that despite every logical argument against it and despite every instinct I possessed warning me about it; I was stupidly, blindly, idiotically and mind numblingly in love with Bella Swan.

That particular realization had my gut twisting and my mind rebelling vehemently against it.

'_Oh no… No, no, no… Hell NO! God, you're such a fucking pansy, Jacob Black! And an idiotic moron to boot. You don't learn from your mistakes, do you? How many more times does she have to fucking stomp on your heart for you to gain some perspective, huh? Or maybe you'd learn faster if she just used a meat cleaver, huh? Wake up and face the truth. She doesn't love you. She never has! All she wants from you is your help at worst and your friendship at best, that's all. Don't go presenting your heart to her on a platter. She doesn't want it, she doesn't need it. She has the leech after all; and no matter what she tells you, he will always be first with her, always!'_

I don't know what it was about that girl that twisted me up in fucking knots all the time. Contrary to the pack's belief, I wasn't a masochist. Yet, where Bella was concerned, and no matter how much I knew to the contrary, I always ended up in the same place – in love and brokenhearted.

It fucking hurt to admit it to myself but it was the truth. I loved her. I always had. I'd never stopped. Even when I'd thought she was one of _them…_ my mortal enemy; I'd loved her. And the truth of the matter was that she simply did _not_ love me the way I'd always loved her. I'd never been number one in her life and the encounter with the bloodsucker this morning had only served to emphasize this point even more.

'_Which is the precise reason why you should take what you said to Bella today and make it into reality… It is past time you moved on from her! Forget that you love her. Find someone else…'_

And, dammit, that was easier said than done! For six years I hadn't been able to forget her and move on. How the hell was I supposed to do it after everything I'd been through with her now? I'd gotten a taste of what life with Bella could be like and the hell of it all was that I wanted more. Fuck, I wanted it all…with her!

Disgusted at my own sentimentality and lack of control over my emotions; I wiped the sweat off my body halfheartedly before stalking back towards the kitchen and pulling a bottle of water from the fridge. I unscrewed the cap and drank straight from the bottle, beyond caring when some of the water overflowed onto my torso. In fact, the cold water felt so good against my heated skin that it prompted me to dump the rest of the water on my head. I sucked in a breath enjoying the impromptu dunking; before slicking my wet hair back off my forehead.

Damn, I was still feeling wired. I had no idea what to do with myself. There was no way in hell that I'd be going to sleep anytime soon, so I had the rest of the night to brood and to curse Bella and the leech for their wrongdoings…imagined or otherwise.

My brooding was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. I briefly entertained the thought of not opening the door at all but the caller, whoever it was seemed rather persistent. Swearing under my breath, uncaring about being courteous, wanting nothing more than to be left alone, I pulled the door open impatiently and with every intention of getting rid of whoever was at the door as soon as I possibly could. Instead, the sight that greeted me brought me up short; hitting me like a sucker punch to the solar plexus.

Was this a mirage? Was I hallucinating? Had I finally, totally lost my mind…?

But no, she was here. She was really here.

My gut clenched in involuntary pleasure; reacting just to the sight, the smell, _the presence_ of her.

"_Bella…?_" I questioned incredulously – unable to believe that she was really here; standing on my doorstep – while trying desperately to squash the burst of hope that the sight of her had inadvertently brought on at the same time.

"_Jacob!_" She breathed my name; looking for all practical purposes like all her prayers had suddenly been answered. Her eyes widened as she took in my disheveled, sweat drenched form; she licked her lips instinctively.

My heart sped up as I took in the look in her eyes; thundering in my chest uncontrollably. For a moment – a very brief moment, I almost managed to fool myself into believing that the look in her eyes reflected – _need_.

Sickened at my own gullibility; I shook off the brief bout of insanity along with all of the stupid, useless hope that seeing her here had brought. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?" I questioned her harshly.

She jolted like she'd just received a rude awakening. The softness in her eyes gradually faded as she assimilated my tone of voice. "I…uh… I came to talk to you…" She trailed off uncertainly.

I stared at her in disbelief. _'Talk…? She wanted to talk…? Now…? After she'd practically thrown me out of her fucking house…? Was she fucking kidding me?!?'_

I struggled to maintain my composure; pretending nonchalance by leaning against the door frame and crossing my arms against my bare chest. Inside I was a mass of quivering nerves and I'd have been loath to admit, even to myself that I'd needed the support to keep my knees from knocking against each other in nervousness. "So, talk…" I indicated shortly.

She grimaced in displeasure. "Uh… here…?" She questioned, throwing an uncomfortable glance at the open passageway behind her. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" She questioned.

I gave her a penetrating glance; trying ineffectively to decipher the meaning behind this sudden visit before giving it up as a futile endeavor._ 'Oh, what the hell! Things couldn't get any worse than they were at the moment anyway!'_ "Sure, why the hell not? I don't have anything better to do anyways." I spoke callously; moving aside and giving her enough space to walk by me. "At least this promises to be interesting; which is more than could've been said of my otherwise dull evening…" I muttered loud enough for her to hear.

She froze briefly as she took in my cruel words before making a conscious effort to shake them off and walked in. The moment she did; my previously spacious apartment seemed suddenly cramped. I could see her looking around her; observing everything; taking in her surroundings like she was absorbing the tiny, insignificant details of my life and I couldn't help feeling another burst of anger.

Damn her! This wasn't how I'd imagined her first trip to my apartment would be. I'd imagined flowers, candlelight, a romantic meal for two; followed by hours and hours of uninterrupted playtime in my bed. Instead, what I'd gotten was heartbreak, awkwardness and lots of bitterness. Typical!

My morose thoughts and my anger at her made my words seem more ruthless than I'd meant them to be. "You're here. You say you want to talk. I'm listening. Start talking…"

She stiffened… maybe it was in reaction to my tone or maybe she was just preparing herself for the upcoming confrontation. "I've come to take you back to La Push with me."

"What?" I let out a cynical bark of laughter. "First you order me to leave, then you tell me you want me to come back! Get over yourself, Bella! My life doesn't revolve around you."

'_Liar…'_ My mind screamed at me. _'You're such a liar. Your life has always revolved around her…' _I chose not to acknowledge the truth in those words.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I shouldn't have said what I did to you…"

I ignored the feelings of tenderness that she seemed to be trying to invoke and concentrated on the anger instead. "What do you want Bella?" I asked bluntly, getting right to the point.

"I just told you, I want you to come back!" She exclaimed.

"And what reason would I have for doing that?" I questioned dismissively.

"Because your pack needs you. Because I need you!" She explained with a touch of desperation.

Pleasure exploded in my chest and was ruthlessly squashed down. "My pack is more than capable of taking care of themselves. And as far as you're concerned, you have a posse of guardians now. You don't need me. So, thanks, but no thanks; I'm going to refuse your kind offer."

"You can't do that! You won't do that! You have a duty! You promised you'd be there for me, you promised you'd protect me!!"

Of course, I thought with dawning realization; that was the reason that she was here. She wasn't here because she really cared for me! Or because she wanted me back! Or because she suddenly discovered that she had hidden feelings for me. She was here because she was in need of my protection. God, I was such a damn fool when it came to this woman!

I barely resisted the impulse to ram my fist through the wall.

"I know what I promised you Bella." I sighed; suddenly feeling totally defeated. "You don't have to worry. Unlike you, I don't forget my promises or go back on them. I'll protect you. I'll protect your friends and family. Hell, I'll even protect you precious vampires. So will my pack. You have my word as an alpha. _Happy?_" I spat out.

"No, _no_… You're deliberately misunderstanding me!" " She spoke urgently. "That's not why I'm here! You know I didn't come here just because I needed you to protect me!!"

"Then why Bella…? Why the _fuck_ are you here?" I yelled at her, momentarily losing my cool.

Instead of answering my question, she posed one of her own. "Why did you leave Jake?" She questioned after a brief hesitation.

Now I knew that my expression showed my incredulity. I couldn't help it. "Are you fucking _kidding_ me, Bella?" My voice was sharp with barely controlled fury. "You asked me to leave, remember? Or have you forgotten it already?" I made no effort to try to hide my bitterness. "In fact, I distinctly seem to remember you throwing me out in favor of the leech."

She winced and bit her lip anxiously. "Uh… yeah… I wasn't talking about that. I meant, why did you leave La Push…without even telling me…?" Her voice sounded small… uncertain.

I couldn't help the hollow laugh that escaped me. "You're kidding, right?" God, she was unbelievable… and I didn't mean that in the good sense. "I was supposed to stick around after everything that what went on between us…?"

She blushed self consciously.

I _hated_ myself for still finding it cute.

I turned away abruptly from her; walking straight towards the bar and pouring myself a generous helping of Scotch. It was Quil's pride and joy, something he'd gotten during one of his out of country travels and he'd been saving it for a special occasion. He was going to kill me, of course but I didn't particularly care at the moment. I tossed it back in one shot, grimacing at the strong taste and the bitter after burn as it raced straight down my throat and to my stomach. I wasn't a Scotch person, usually, but I had a feeling I was going to need it to get through this particular encounter.

I turned back towards Bella. "You want some?" I questioned brusquely only out of a sense of politeness. Damn my father for raising me to be polite to women!

She hesitated briefly, "Sure, why not?" She accepted recklessly.

Refusing to comment on her sudden bravery, I'd just poured her a drink when she blurted out suddenly, "No, wait. I'm good actually."

I felt my eyebrows rise almost to my hairline but I refused to be my usual 'obsessed with Bella' self and worry about her. She was a big girl. She had a right to change her mind. As far as the reason behind her see-sawing went; I really didn't care about it.

'_Yeah, right!'_

I could see in her eyes that she wanted me to ask her about her sudden change of heart but I refused to give her the satisfaction of doing so. I studiously avoided even looking at her as I shrugged off the incident nonchalantly. "As you wish…" I tossed back her drink as well.

As she realized that I wasn't going to say anything about her actions or ask for any explanations, she gave a heartfelt sigh of disappointment before she went ahead and clarified anyway. "I don't want you to think that what I'm about to say to you has anything to do with liquid courage. I don't want my head or my judgment clouded with alcohol because what I'm about to say to you is straight from the heart and it's genuine and I want you to know that."

I had to admit to myself that I was touched…if not by her actions, then by her earnestness. But I couldn't let her see it. I couldn't afford to show any signs of weakness.

"So…?" I questioned impatiently, when she refused to say a single word for a few moments.

"Uh… could you, maybe, wear a shirt…?" She appeared flustered.

I tried desperately not to let her reaction affect me. I didn't quite succeed. Bella and me; alone in my house with me, dressed only in shorts… It was the stuff of fantasies.

'_Damn it Black; get your head on straight… that's not going to happen! Ever again!! You're out, remember?'_

Now if only I could recite that little fact to myself over and over again till I began believing it…

"Why?" I questioned in response to her request. "I don't think you'll be here long enough for it to bother you, will you?" I knew I was being deliberately offensive but I needed the buffer in order to distract myself from the situation. "I need to take a shower anyway. So, say what you have to say, then leave… that shouldn't take too long." I made myself continue even after she visibly blanched at my rudeness… even though the guilt of doing so, of hurting her was already battering its way into my mind.

She made a valiant effort to rally from my verbal knock. "Renesmee…" She blurted out suddenly, from out of nowhere.

"What?" I questioned confusedly.

"The baby, my baby…? It was a girl and her name was Renesmee." She clarified tonelessly. "I had a _daughter_…"

Shit when she'd told me she wanted to talk to me, I had _not_ expected it to be something like this.

"And, you know this… how?" I asked cautiously, experiencing a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like her explanation.

"Edward told me." She went on in the same toneless fashion. "He took me to visit her grave."

'_He did WHAT…? That stupid, fucking, idiotic leech! Did he have absolutely no sense?'_

"Calm down, Jake…" She urged, taking in my clenched fists and trembling body. "It wasn't a big deal… I mean it was, but not in the bad sense. I actually feel better now. Like I can finally put her behind me; like I can finally move on with my life…" She trailed off.

"Of course it wasn't a big deal!" I scoffed sarcastically. "Why am I not surprised that you can't find a fault with Saint Edward's actions?" I questioned harshly. "It's always the same shit with you guys. He hurts you, he breaks your heart and pounds it into the dust but all he has to do is give you one pretty smile for you to forgive him!"

'_Hello kettle, I'm a pot. You're black.'_

I ignored the refrain in my mind and focused my fury on Bella. "He freaking murdered your child, Bella. That should've been enough for you to hate him, right? In fact, he should be the one person you hate more than anyone else in the whole wide world. But _no_, apparently that's not the case! You're more concerned about the fact that for _one brief_ moment I was _happy _that you were alive, that I'd gotten a chance to see you, touch you, be with you again! Yeah, I can see how that's more horrible than murder!" I finished sarcastically as the sting of her rejection slashed through me once again.

Her face was a mask of pain and remorse. "It wasn't like that, Jake!" She implored.

"No? Because that's precisely how it seemed to me!" I didn't let up on her. "But then, I could be wrong. Let's face it, where you're concerned, I've been wrong plenty of times before." I could see that my words were hurting her and for once in m life, I didn't care. She had to hear this. She had to know what she'd put me through. I _had_ to get it off my chest! "So, Bella, why don't you tell me what it _was_ like? Educate me. Please, _explain_ to me how I'm wrong." I said sardonically.

"I didn't choose him over you…" She began hesitantly.

"You didn't? Oh well, lucky me then!" I mocked. "But then, that would mean that you chose… _me_, wouldn't it?" I gasped dramatically. "And then you promptly threw me out of the house. So, basically your way of choosing someone is to yell at them and throw them out of your house, huh? Wow, I did _not_ know that! How about, maybe, and this is just a suggestion, mind you but you might want to work on ensuring that people get the right message, huh? Because as we stand right now, I'm pretty sure that both the leech and I have gotten the absolute wrong impression about the events that unfolded today." I was panting with anger by the time I was done speaking.

"You're upset. I can understand that…" She interrupted trying to soothe me.

But I was having none of that. "Oh, you can, huh? How magnanimous of you, Bella!"

"Will you stop?" She sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Stop jumping down my throat about everything I say and do… stop being so mean! This isn't you!!"

"And how do you know that, Bella?" I snapped right back. "You've spent what…a couple of weeks with me? I could've completely changed in the six years since you left… no wait, since you _abandoned_ me…us…" I winced internally. Dammit, I'd promised myself I wouldn't go there!

"I thought we'd already dealt with that…" She said in a small, dejected voice; interrupting my tirade once again.

"_No, we haven't!_" I insisted sharply. "But, we'll come back to that later. To come back to my original point, this might be exactly the kind of person I am now! How the fuck do you know that I'm not like this?"

"Because I know you, Jake. You're my best friend. I _know_ you! I know you're not this person…" She spoke beseechingly.

"Yeah, well, I wish you'd remembered that before you practically accused me of being a murdering lunatic like your precious Edward this morning!" I practically growled.

"I _never_ said that!" Her voice was thick with tears.

"Come _on_, Bella, I was there, remember?" I yelled in frustration. "And fortunately for me, I have a flawless memory! I asked you to trust me, no, I _begged_ you to trust me. You didn't. I begged you to have more faith in me, in us. You didn't. Goddamit Bella, you just threw me out!" I roared. "Last night was amazing, and yet, you threw me out. And now, here you stand, wanting me to listen to you, to believe in you. But then, I shouldn't really be surprised Bella, because that's exactly how you operate. You take and you take and you take till you've sucked a person dry… till you've sucked _me_ dry. Well guess what _Bells_… turns out, you don't have to be dead to be a vampire!"

Her shocked moan brought my tirade to a screeching end. My startled glance revealed that she'd folded up on herself in agony.

Gut wrenching regret shot through me. Shit, I'd gone too far… I'd said too much but dammit, she was killing me here!

Every cell in my body was screaming at me to go to her, to hold her in my arms, to forgive her, to take her pain away.

I turned away from her; gripping the backside of a chair hard enough to feel the indentions I made in it in an effort to physically restrain myself from running to her. I forced myself to ignore the sight of her tear strained face even though it was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do. No, what I wanted to do was rush to her and hold her in my arms. But I couldn't; I had to stay strong. For the sake of my sanity, I had to stay strong.

Even in my crazed, angry, broken-hearted state I knew that I couldn't let her walk away from me this time and leave me shattered. My tribe deserved more… my pack deserved more than a broken, dysfunctional alpha. I'd almost driven them to madness the last time around and I hadn't even been alpha back then. This time, with me being the head of the pack, the possibility of them actually losing their minds if I did was exponentially high. I couldn't take that risk. I didn't have the right to. So, I had to be the one to walk away from her first.

"I think you should leave now Bella." I said tonelessly, trying desperately to hold on to my composure.

"No, you don't mean that!" Her voice was shrill with panic. "Don't, Jake… don't send me away!" Just this morning it'd been me, begging _her_ to let _me_ stay. The role reversal would've been kinda ironic if it hadn't been so tragic.

I sighed heavily; almost at the end of my tether. "Look I've already said I'll help you out Bella. I've promised to protect you, to keep you safe. In fact, I'll go one step further; I'll make it so that every single member of my pack will die before they ever let anything happen to you, to your friends, to your family." I dropped my head in exhaustion. "What else do you want from me?"

"What do I want from you?" She repeated my question slowly, as if she was mulling it over in her head. "_What do I want from you?_" She sounded like she was on the verge of hysteria causing a bolt of alarm to shoot through me. "What would you do if I said I want _everything_?" She asked softly.

I whipped around to face her. The moment I looked at her, she looked away bashfully.

My breath caught. My heart somersaulted in my chest. My body clenched in shock. What was she trying to say?

'_No, whatever it is she's saying, you aren't interested anymore, remember…?' _

"I would say I can't give you what you want." I replied flatly, making every effort to rein in my emotions and to keep my face expressionless even though it was killing me to say these things to her.

I tried very hard to believe that I meant it…and barring that, to at least to make her believe I meant it.

Her face crumpled; threatening to test my resolve sorely before she rallied herself valiantly. "Okay…maybe you just need a little time." She stated questioningly. I didn't respond. "That's fine. I can wait. But, we're still friends, right?" Now the anxiety in her voice was more pronounced.

I hesitated; fully aware that what I was about to say would probably be very difficult for her to handle. I almost didn't say it for the same reason.

'_No, remember, tribe, then pack, then you… those are your priorities now…'_

I sighed tiredly. "Maybe someday, Bella, but, right now, I don't think I can handle it. I think it'd be best if we had a complete break from each other for a while."

"_Noooo_" She moaned disconsolately. The silent tears flowing down her cheeks… the sobs that shook her tiny little body… they were like my own personal version of hell.

"B…bu…but…" She whimpered.

I turned away from her once again; suddenly exhausted beyond belief and wanting nothing more than to collapse in my bed and stay there for the next few days…or weeks. I shook the despair off; I had to be stronger than that. "Go home, Bella. I'll be back in La Push in a couple of days. We'll talk about this then, okay?"

An inconsolable sob escaped her lips and I had to literally force myself in place in order to stay away from her. My body, my heart, my soul were all trembling in agony because _she_ was in agony. And even though the pain she was going through had been inflicted by me, I could still feel it like it was my own. "No! _NO!_ I'm not leaving!"

I snapped. "_What the hell do you want from me Bella? My soul…?_" I thundered at her. "I've given you everything dammit… and every single time you've thrown it all back in my face! I can't do this anymore, I just can't!"

"But… I still haven't said what I came here to say Jake…" She insisted in between her sobs. "At least hear me out…"

"Oh I think I've heard it all, Bella… You hurt me, you're sorry for it; you didn't mean to choose the leech over me, _again_; yada, yada, yada… I promised to protect you so I should come back with you; blah, blah blah… isn't that what you wanted to say? Well, news flash Bella, I've heard it all… a million times before. And you being sorry doesn't make one damn bit of difference! When push comes to shove, you always end up walking all over me. I get that now. I _finally_ get it!" I scoffed disgustedly. "Please leave…" I requested emotionlessly; deliberately making my way towards the door and hoping desperately that she'd get the message that I wanted her to leave me the hell alone. I needed her gone so that I could finally break down. I needed her gone so that I could lick my wounds in peace.

"I love you…" Her excruciatingly painful whisper stopped me in my tracks.

'_What? What…? I couldn't have heard her right. She couldn't have just said that… did she?'_

"Did you…_ What did you say?_" I questioned urgently, convinced that I'd misheard her yet praying desperately that I had not.

"I said I love you." This time there was no mistaking her loud, clear declaration. A slight pause before she clarified further, "I'm _in_ love with you." Another pause. "_Only_ you."

I felt like the earth beneath me had fallen away leaving me in freefall. All I could do was stare at her in stark disbelief.

I shook my head in an effort to clear it. "_No, no… that can't be right…_" I whispered disbelievingly.

"It is, Jake… it is _so_ right. And true…" She walked over to me, framing my face between trembling hands; pinning me with a laser sharp look; willing me to believe her. "Today, Edward asked me to give him another chance."

My gaze snapped to hers as an involuntary growl escaped my lips. _'I knew it – that filthy, disgusting, opportunistic slimebag!'_

"Wow…" My first instinct was to resort to sarcasm in an effort to convince her that I didn't care… but the very real fear I was experiencing made the words catch in my throat. What if she did go back to the bloodsucker? "Now that you've cleared up the whole baby issue, you guys can pick up on your happily ever after right where you left off, right? I mean, it's perfect, isn't it? Just please, ensure that the leech attends some kind of sex-ed classes, okay?" Bella's shocked gaze snapped to mine and I knew that I was being really inappropriate by making light of her honeymoon disaster with the leech and that I should probably shut up real soon…but for some reason, I couldn't make myself stop talking. "And for heaven's sake, use some protection! You'd think that being a 110 years old vampire, whose pretend dad is a whiz doctor would ensure better preparation than this, wouldn't you? But, _no_…Figures that the stupid ass vampire would be an even bigger idiot than I'd thought he'd be…"

Instead of reacting to my inane ramble, Bella placed a gentle finger on my lips, bringing it to a stumbling halt. "Shhh… shhh… just hear me out…" Bella spoke soothingly. I trailed off dazedly, trying not to imagine the leech with '_my'_ Bella and failing miserably. "I told him I didn't want him back."

"_What?" _Alright, that announcement succeeded where everything else had failed. She now had my undivided attention. "You actually said no to the leech?" I couldn't believe my ears.

"Yes Jake. _I_ said no to _Edward_." She reassured me.

Relief flooded me, along with a bout of confusion. "But why…?" I queried.

"Because I don't want him, silly. I already told you, I want _you_. I love _you._"

I wanted to… God, how I wanted to believe her! But I couldn't.

Here she was saying everything I'd ever wanted her to say… everything I'd ever wanted to hear from her… and yet… I wasn't sure how to handle the situation now that she had.

My heart was clamoring for joy; eager to just accept the truth and revel in it. My mind; on the other hand was urging me to tread cautiously. After all, it couldn't help but remember the last time we'd been in this kind of a situation. She'd said she loved me even at that time. Then, she'd gone off and married the leech and disappeared from my life for six goddamn years!

Fear trembled within my heart. What if this declaration of love was a prelude to another disappearing act?

No… no… I couldn't take the chance. Not until I knew more. Not until I'd given this situation some more thought…

"I can't do this, not right now." I spoke with a heavy heart. "I'd like you to leave now, Bella."

Her face fell. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. Without another word, she made her way towards the door.

Unable to bear the sight of her walking away; I turned away from her regretfully.

My thoughts were chaotic at best, see-sawing back and forth between relief and confusion.

'_What the hell are you doing, you idiot? Don't let her walk away! Stop her!!'_

I heard the click of the door opening and barely managed to stop myself from calling her back.

And then, just as I was congratulating myself for being strong…for successfully resisting the constant temptation that was Bella Swan, I felt her tiny, perfect hands run down my back. White hot desire raced through me. The need to bury myself deep within her wet heat was almost instantaneous and overwhelming.

"Bella…" I breathed warningly while my body waged a silent war with my mind. My mind knew I shouldn't be doing this; my body disagreed.

'_Don't do it. Don't lose control. Remember your decision. You have to move on…'_

She disregarded my warning, placing a fleeting kiss on my back.

I spun around to face her, capturing both her wrists in my hand in an effort to prevent her from tormenting me with her touch. "_What the hell are you doing?_" I wheezed breathlessly, feeling as if I'd just run a damn marathon.

"Fighting for you…" She answered artlessly. Her arms went around my back and she leaned into me, hugging me tenderly. I almost lost it right then and there. "Holding you tight and never letting go…" She went on; softly placing a string of barely there kisses on my pectorals.

My cock throbbed painfully. I just barely resisted the urge to thrust my hips against her. Shit I was going to embarrass myself here if she didn't stop clinging to me so lovingly.

And then, before I could shore up my self control enough to move away from her; her tiny tongue darted out to make a quick foray on my naked chest. _'Fuck!'_

"Ummmm…" She hummed in obvious pleasure. "You taste so good Jake. Salty…" She whispered throatily and ran her tongue over my sensitive nipple.

Just like that, my self control shattered.

Oh fuck it all… I was done resisting the temptation. I was taking her up on what she was so willingly offering.

Bella barely had time to draw a breath before I had her pinned against the wall. I cupped her butt, molding it desperately with my hands.

I silently urged her to part her legs and settled myself in the V of her legs, my body subconsciously trying to get impossibly closer to her heat. The mouthwatering scent of her arousal hit my senses; calling to my inner animal and driving him crazy with need. _He_ wanted to tear her clothes off her delectable body and bury himself inside her, claiming her as his mate. The effort to gain some control over him was monumental.

I groaned hoarsely and crushed her mouth beneath mine.

Her breath caught. She freed her mouth from mine only to call out my name in a needy whisper that had me straining against my briefs, aching to get out... to plunge within her depths.

In between heated kisses to her cheek, her ear, her throat, I toed off my sneakers and pulled the string of my workout shorts, working them loose, lowering them to the ground along with my briefs. My pulsing erection sprang free from its confines.

I captured one of her hands in mine and slowly guided it down to where I most needed her touch. She caught on to my intention quick enough and touched me eagerly; wrapping her hand around me. Frowning when she couldn't fit my entire length into the palm of her hand, she brought up her other hand to form a warm cocoon around me.

"_Jesus Christ Bella_…" My voice came out sounding thick, hoarse…almost unrecognizable.

Then, as if she hadn't tortured me enough, she experimentally pumped her hands up and down my cock a couple of times; looking at me intently as if she were trying to gauge my reaction to her actions. I barely managed to hold onto my composure. It felt so good; I could almost feel my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

"Enough!" I ordered hoarsely fighting desperately to maintain the upper hand in this situation. I wanted to make her beg; I wanted her at my mercy and that wasn't going to happen unless I took control of the situation.

I inserted my hand between our bodies and unsnapped her jeans. The sound of the zipper being lowered seemed too loud in the otherwise absolute silence. I stopped kissing her long enough to catch the hem of her sweater and draw it up and over her head.

Dressed only in a red satin bra and half opened jeans; with her hair gloriously tousled and her cheeks flushed, she looked so gorgeous that she stole my breath away. I took her in with heavy lidded eyes; taking care not to reveal any of my feelings to her.

Her hands reached out for me again.

All I knew was that I couldn't have her touch me again or it'd be over for me and I'd be begging for her like a freaking schoolboy.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and pulled her up my body till her breasts were eye level with me. Then before she could react, I closed my mouth over her nipple through the flimsy, satin material of her bra.

Her body jerked against mine and her hands knotted in my hair holding me tight to her. Her reaction was enough to bring a satisfied smirk to my lips.

That was more like it… but… it was nowhere near enough.

Taking advantage of her distraction, I unhooked the front clasp of her bra and let the cups separate, baring her to my hungry gaze. The straps fell down her arms. When she tried to free her hands from their confines, I used my other hand to knot the bra tighter, pinning her arms behind her back.

Her shocked, stunned gaze collided with mine; searching my eyes, trying to decipher my intentions. Whatever she saw in my gaze made her moan out loud and drop her head back against the wall in utter supplication. The action thrust her naked breasts right back in my face, prompting me to run my teeth down her erect nipple.

She writhed against me in pleasure, squirming around until her center was pressed tightly against my hardened member. I could feel the heat coming off her through the layers of material separating us.

I shuddered uncontrollably. I had to feel her… to touch her before I went mad.

My seeking fingers slid between her legs; shoving aside her jeans and the sheer material of her panties till they were embedded in her wet, moist, tight heat.

We both groaned aloud at the sensation.

I was ruthless in my assault; staking complete and total claim to her body, thrusting my fingers inside her repeatedly, pressing my thumb in just the spot that I knew would send her into raptures of pleasure. The moment I did, her body clamped down on my fingers and she cried out in pleasure. And while she fell apart in my arms I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that all it'd taken was one night together for me to learn her body so well.

I could feel her inner walls quake around my fingers and it only succeeded in making me more desperate to be inside her.

But I couldn't… not yet. I needed her to be as crazy with desire as I was… I needed her to be as completely immersed in me as I was in her.

Straining desperately for composure, I busied myself with freeing her from her jeans. All I had to do was get one of her legs free, which I managed to do without any help on her part. That accomplished, I abruptly lowered her to the ground, setting her down on her feet. She whimpered at the sudden loss of contact; reaching out to me in need.

I couldn't keep the sensual smirk off my face as I took in the mutinous look in her eyes. But the look lasted only until I dropped down onto my knees in front of her and pushed her panties aside; then her eyes widened in realization.

I urged her to rest one of her thighs on my shoulder before looking her right in the eye; stating my intent clearly even though she knew exactly what I was about to do. "Hold on!" I commanded hoarsely. Then I buried my face between her thighs and hungrily clamped my mouth on her; alternating between plunging my tongue deep within her depths and suckling on her ultrasensitive nub.

She screamed, her legs going out from under her, her hands gripping onto my shoulder for support as she struggled to stay upright.

I devoured her… drunk on the reactions I could elicit from her. She was so wonderfully responsive…so gloriously unrestrained…

I continued my assault on her senses until she was incoherent with need… panting for more with one breath and begging me to stop with the next.

I stood back on my feet and lifted her into my arms once again. "Wrap your legs around me, Bella." My voice was hoarse with need. She obeyed the command mindlessly and a fierce sense of possession raced through me.

She was mine… only mine!

Trembling uncontrollably with the need to bury myself in her tight sheath I aligned my weeping length at her opening.

"Jake, _please…_" She whimpered desperately.

"Please, what, Bella…?" I growled. "Tell me what you want."

"I want you!" She begged; her hands clawing at my back; urging me to put us both out of our misery.

I smothered every inch of her smooth, delicious skin that was within my reach with kisses while I waited as patiently as I could for her to open her eyes and look at me. I needed to see the look in her eyes when I entered her. But dammit, she was taking way too long…

"Bella, look at me…" I commanded harshly.

She obeyed instantly, opening her pleasure doused eyes to my gaze.

"Say the words, Bella. Tell me!" I urged her silkily. "_What _do you want?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, just fuck me, Jake! I want you to _fuck me_!" She sobbed impatiently.

The moment the words left her mouth, I plunged ahead till the head of my cock was embedded inside her.

"_Jake_…" She hissed gratifyingly, only adding to my own pleasure.

I caught one of her knees in the crook of my elbow and lifted, opening her up for me. The change in position briefly brought her out of her euphoria. She looked at me questioningly, her eyes reflecting equal parts excitement, nervousness and fear. Then I flexed my hips till I was buried inside her to the hilt and she was lost once again. Unfortunately, so was I…

Oh fuck she was so amazingly tight…I wasn't going to be able to hold back for much longer.

"_Uhhhh…_" An involuntary groan escaped my lips. I dropped my forehead into the crook of her neck, breathing deep, fighting for control.

I wanted to take this slow; I wanted to savor the sensation of being inside her…_but_… her tiny little hands squeezed my ass, urging me on while her insides clenched around me tightly and I was lost. I withdrew myself from her with a groan and surged in powerfully…again and again.

With the arm I had hooked in her knee, I levered up more and tangled a hand in her hair, keeping her mouth right where I wanted it to be… on mine. I used my other hand to lift her hips more, angling her in such a way that she felt me deep within her; filling her up completely. A few thrusts and she exploded again; screaming my name; shaking all over, sweating; her body instantly tightening around mine.

I groaned as I felt her inner muscles clench spasmodically around me and rode her harder and faster; feeling my impending climax. With a final thrust, I came within her; shuddering and convulsing with pleasure.

As I looked at her limp form, I couldn't help feeling a burst of satisfaction. I knew without the slightest doubt that I was the only one who drove her to such heights of pleasure. And it wasn't conceit that made me say so. Her reactions, her body language, the way she clung to me, they all screamed the fact out to me. I knew when I held her that her body didn't respond to anyone else the way it did to me. Just like mine only responded to her...

"I love you…" She whispered again, breathlessly, running her hands through my damp hair.

The languorous feelings surrounding me evaporated. I tensed; not yet willing or able to take her words at face value. I needed time to think things through.

I smothered her words with another kiss, hoping to distract her from saying them again. Urging her to hold onto me, I began walking us backwards towards my bedroom and a bed. Despite my misgivings, I needed her in my bed so that I could wake up with her scent all over my sheets.

Dammit, I was a pansy assed, love sick moron and I was never going to hear the end of this from the pack… especially Quil and Embry… when they came to know about this.

As I reached my destination, I lay her down gently before lying down behind her and spooning her close to me.

"Sleep, Bella…" I urged her softly, soothing her when her body stiffened in protest. "Shh… Let's not worry about it now, shall we? We have plenty of time. We'll talk about this tomorrow, alright honey?" I couldn't help feeling inordinately pleased with myself when her body sagged against mine trustingly.

Soon the steadiness of her breaths alerted me to the fact that she'd succumbed to her exhaustion. Yet, exhausted as I was myself, I couldn't bring myself to follow my own advice and stop worrying. I lay there, appreciating the feel of her soft body against mine, marveling at the slow and steady rhythm of her heart…

The events of the evening were an unending loop in my mind. How she'd looked, what she'd said, how she'd felt…

And then of course, there were the softly whispered "I love you's" that still had my gut churning with equal parts confusion and elation. Did she mean it? Did she really love me… or maybe, the question should be… did she finally love me enough? The questions were endless, the answers in short supply.

Should I let myself believe the tenderness in her eyes? Should I let myself trust her again? Or was this just another surefire way to getting my heart broken again?

Yet, could I really deny that she was worth it…worth all the suffering she'd ever put me through? No, I couldn't. She was the only one for me; she'd _always_ been the only one for me. She was my one, my only, my everything. And if all that was true; then wasn't she worth risking my heart one more time for…? I'd already lived through losing her once. And it was the most hellish experience of my entire existence! So, when I asked myself whether I was willing to live through losing her again, the only answer I got was a very emphatic, a very resounding "Hell no!"

I glanced over her shoulder to ensure that she was well and truly asleep before placing a tender kiss on the shell of her ear. "I love you too" I confessed in a tortured whisper. "You have _no_ idea how very _much_ I love you." I took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm just so _fucking_ scared that it's never going to be enough."

**A/N: - Well there you have it. Damn, what I wouldn't do to have him 'tie' up my hands like that… LOL! So, did you enjoy reading sexy, controlling Jake as much as I enjoyed writing him? Don't forget to let me know. **

**And no, before you ask me, Bella did **_**not**_** hear Jake confessing his love for her. I'm afraid she's just going to have to suffer along for a little while longer thinking that he doesn't have any feelings for her. Poor Bella… or not, whatever! LOL…**

**Hmmm, now on to the important stuff. I've received a few PM's asking me if I was posting anywhere else in case FF decided to pull my story off. So, in answer to that question, no, I'm not posting anywhere else at the moment. However, I am definitely thinking of doing it. I'm still looking into where I could post the story without having to make any major changes and am totally open to suggestions in case any of you have any. I welcome all of your inputs on this, so, please do let me know.**

**Secondly, I read some reviews complaining about how most authors are moving to different websites and this is making it difficult for readers to follow them. So, I had this wild, totally insane thought… How would you guys feel about starting our very own 'solely dedicated to B/J and totally open to M or even MA rated stories' website? Now, before you start getting all excited, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever as to how to go about doing that! But, yeah, I'm open to suggestions and willing to make an effort if any of you are willing to help me out. So, in case, any of you have an idea about how to open and maintain a website…and do graphics and stuff, please feel free to contact me. In case you know anyone else who knows about this stuff, pass this message on to them. In fact, just pass it on to your friends and friends of friends anyway. Who knows what someone might come up with, right? So, yeah, let me know… **

**With that out of the way, I want to thank Ashley and Cheryl as usual – profusely and from the bottom of my heart –for being their awesome beta selves! I couldn't ever do this without their help and support.**

**Also, a huge, extra special thank you to Erin, my soulmate and lemon consultant extraordinaire! And YAY... she's just agreed to coming on board Unforgettable as an official beta. I'm thrilled beyond belief! She's simply brilliant...as I'm sure all of those of you who read her story already know. And as i pointed out last time, she's about the best friend a girl can have. I'm really looking forward to collaborating with her. ****Here I'd like to take the time to point out that her love of Jake equals my own and she always goes the extra mile to ensure that everything is just the way it should be in our own, sweet, pretend B/J land! :) This chapter wouldn't be even half as good as it is without her input, trust me. So, thank you, so very much for beta'ing for me...and helping me with the lemon...and for putting up with my insecurities and my constant need to yap about B and J… oh, and for guiding me through the hurdles of story-telling, soulmate. You're awesome!!**

**Anyway, now that I've done my job people, you, go do yours. Hit the review button and leave me a nice little review telling me what you think!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Disclaimer: - If they were mine, Jake and Bella would've ended up together, don't you think? I'm just playing with them and I intend to return them in their original conditions as soon as I'm done! Well, maybe I won't return Jake, but I'll return the rest… definitely, I swear! **

**Sorry for the delay folks. Real life got in the way, dammit! And then, I was suffering from the worst writer's block ever! Whatever… it's all on the past now, I hope. Anyway, I hope the chapter is worth the long wait. **

**Thank you, once again, to each and every person who reviewed last chapter… especially my anonymous reviewers, namely, knightvanilla, carol-brazil and bellsnjake. All of your reviews mean a lot to me.**

**As usual, this chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF - Erin, Ashley, Cheryl and Wendy**.

JPOV

I came awake slowly to the sensation of a warm, soft, supple body wrapping itself around me. A very naked body at that. _'What the hell…?'_ A brief moment of disorientation followed before years of instinct and training kicked in sending a bolt of adrenaline coursing through my system. I twisted around and sprang to my feet soundlessly; switching seamlessly into combat mode; scanning the surroundings for any looming threats.

A bright shaft of moonlight coming in through the window illuminated the room with a muted glow. In the silvery light my seeking eyes landed on the sleeping form of the woman in my bed.

_Bella._

Just thinking her name made my heart clench painfully in my chest. How was it that I'd allowed this one woman to have so much power over me? She had the power to make me indescribably happy. She had the power to break me, with just a word…just a glance. She had the power to shatter me completely. It was completely insane.

I didn't know anything about imprinting except for what I'd sensed through the thoughts of my brothers but I seriously doubted that it could be any stronger than this.

Memories of the night came rushing back to me.

The fight, her refusal to leave, her sighs, her moans… 'I love you'… 'I'm in love with you'… 'Only you'… it all came back.

Did any of those words mean anything?

She'd looked like she meant them. She'd sounded like she meant them. But could I risk my heart, my sanity based on just those words…? I didn't know. I didn't even know if I believed that she meant them. And if yes, how should I respond to them? And if I responded the way I wanted to, by grabbing onto her with both hands and never letting go; would that be enough to hold her to me forever?

Well, she was here, sleeping peacefully in my bed despite all my attempts to push her away, which was a big plus. I was still finding it hard to believe that she'd followed me here; that she'd stuck around; that she hadn't given up despite my harsh words but the fact that she had was definitely a point in her favor.

Once again, my eyes were drawn back to her. She'd moved around, dislodging the covers slightly; exposing one of her ripe, luscious naked breasts to my gaze.

Just like that, my mind went blank.

Even asleep she managed to entice me completely. _God_, she was beautiful! And sexy… enticingly, unconsciously sexy. And I was in love with her… completely, totally, irrevocably. I couldn't deny it any longer. I couldn't pretend that it was something else. I'd always loved her. Even when I'd been too young to understand what love was, I'd loved her. Heck, even when I thought she was one of _them_, my heart beat only for her. And it would continue to do so till the day I died. She was it for me. My forever… my everything.

I had to touch her. I had to make sure she was real. I had to make sure this… her presence in my bed…wasn't just a figment of my imagination! That need propelled me to lie back down on the bed besides her.

Almost of its own accord my hand reached out and captured her breast possessively. I couldn't stop the tortured moan from escaping my lips at the feel of the soft, warm mound in my hand. I could feel her heart beating rhythmically behind it. I could almost sense the blood as it flowed through her veins… keeping her alive. I couldn't help but be eternally grateful to God for bringing her back into my life; for giving me a chance to love her again.

Instinctively, involuntarily, almost reverently...I brushed my thumb over her beautiful pink nipple and watched in fascination as it tightened in response to the caress.

By this time I couldn't have stopped myself from touching her even if my life depended on it. Just like I couldn't have stopped myself from bending down and taking her puckered nipple in my mouth… it was just something I had to do.

The taste of her exploded on my mouth…succulent, sumptuous; and I just tugged at her nipple harder… with my lips, with my teeth; intent on savoring her… on devouring her. I hummed low in my throat; enjoying the taste of her.

"_Jake!!_" My eyes snapped open at her gasp and I met her heavy-lidded, lust-filled gaze without stopping what I was doing.

She buried her hands within my hair, holding my head in place; letting me know that she didn't want me to stop what I was doing.

"Oh Jake…that feels so good!" she moaned. "Don't stop… please don't stop!"

Silly girl – as if I could've stopped even if I'd wanted to. I was too far gone for that. I was lost within her…to her.

Desperately scared that everything I felt for her…everything she meant to me was displayed in my gaze right then; I shifted my eyes away from hers. I just wasn't ready to bare my soul to her yet. The time would come when I would tell her in words just how much I loved her but right now I had to hope that my actions would be proof enough.

Thankfully she was too distracted to notice my conflict at the moment.

She squirmed around; her body unconsciously yearning to get closer to me. Almost as if it was released by the movement, the smell of her arousal hit my senses and my body tightened in direct answer to the reaction her body had to my touch. She smelled fucking delicious.

My other hand – the one that wasn't busy touching Bella – automatically dropped down to my erect penis; wrapping itself around my length…squeezing it. Her wide eyed gaze followed my movements raptly. A naked heat entered her eyes spurring me on. I ran my hand up and down my length a few times, trying to alleviate the pressure but dammit, it wasn't enough. I needed more. I needed Bella.

My fingers drifted down her body till they were buried in her wet warmth. Fuck… she was so wet, so tight, so hot… She moaned deeply, bringing my gaze back to her face once again. But she wasn't paying attention…

Her gaze was still trained on the sight of my hand wrapped around my hardened length.

That same hand pumped more furiously now… encouraged by the awe in her eyes. My thumb brushed the swollen tip, gathering the moisture there, using it as lubrication to simulate the feeling of being within her slick passage. She began panting loudly; clearly turned on by the sight of me touching myself.

Thankfully, I was really great at accomplishing more than one task at a time and pleasuring myself hadn't necessitated stopping what I was doing to Bella. I continued pumping my fingers within her with slow deliberation. Mindlessly she arched against me, moving her hips, pushing herself closer so that my fingers went deeper; and all the while maintained eye contact; making sure to show me exactly what she was feeling… what 'I' was making her feel. God, the look in her eyes – it was incredible. _She_ was incredible… a smoldering, sizzling sex goddess!

She was dripping wet now…her fragrance permeating the air around me. It made me almost insane with need for her… to touch her, to taste her, to take her. Fuck, I _had_ to taste her before I went crazy. I withdrew my fingers from within her depth and licked her juices off my fingers.

She tasted so fucking good that I had to consciously restrain myself from grabbing hold of her and burying my throbbing length within her without preamble. I had to remind myself that she deserved more than that. She deserved gentleness and caring… tenderness and patience.

"Jake!" She gasped. "Oh God… _uhh_… I need… _please! Please!!_" she sobbed. I couldn't help but feel flattered by her obvious incoherence.

Then her tiny hand brushed mine off my length before wrapping itself around me and all thoughts of tenderness and patience and flattery flew right out of the window. Lust punched viciously through my veins obliterating everything else in its wake.

"Fuck Bells!" I hissed. Need; pure and simple blazed through me. "I need you… right now!" I spoke through gritted teeth. My voice sounded feral, even to my own ears and I hoped to god that it wouldn't scare her away. But I just couldn't help myself. I had to have her…_now!_ "I can't wait. I'm sorry."I tried to make her understand. "I'll make it up to you later. We'll go slow the next time, I promise. But right now, I _need_ to have you…" I was not above begging and I hoped that she wasn't cruel enough to make me.

"Then, have me Jake…" she answered without hesitation, opening herself to me while pulling me towards her. "For God's sake, just take me!" Her words combined with her actions destroyed what little control I had left.

Spurred by her demand and by my own clawing need, I lay down on my back and picked her up roughly; lowering her onto me so that she was straddling my hips. I took my time aligning my length to her entrance and then drove inside her in one fast, hard stroke, holding us both on the edge as I watched her beautiful brown eyes go blind with need.

She clamped down on my length enveloping me in her wet warmth. A guttural moan escaped my lips. I guided her hips against mine, directing her movements and tried desperately to hold onto my composure… before giving in and surrendering to the inevitable.

This was going to be a fast, dark ride… a far way off from what I'd imagined our next time to be like but then, I shouldn't be so surprised. This was Bella we were talking about. She'd always had the power to drive me to the brink of madness.

I took in her naked form above me; her glorious breasts bouncing with every movement; her skin dewy with sweat, her hair gloriously tousled, her body flushed pink with the heat we'd generated and felt a familiar tightening of my balls.

I knew I wasn't going to last much longer but I was damned if I would get there before her. I reached between our bodies and fingered her clit expertly. She whimpered and her body jerked on top of mine. "That's it, Bells… reach for it!" I cajoled hoarsely while continuously touching her intimately.

She increased her pace, pumping her hips furiously against mine; her eyes scrunched up in concentration. "That's it. Let go honey… come on. Come for me." I gritted out, straining against her.

Her hand reached behind her body and cupped my balls causing me to suck in my breath sharply. "Fuck, I'm so close baby. But I _need_ to feel you come around me. Just let go!" I ordered desperate now to reach the peak with her. I reached up and took her nipple between my teeth, biting down hard.

That seemed to do it.

She came apart in my arms, wailing my name loudly. The feeling of her muscles contracting around me spasmodically proved to be my undoing and I spilled within her as my body shook with the most powerful orgasm of my life.

As she came down from her peak, her body went limp and she collapsed against my chest, resting her head against my wildly pounding heart.

"Jesus Christ Bella…" I wheezed "…you're going to kill me!"

"Hmmm…" She hummed contentedly and even though I couldn't see her face, I felt her lips stretch into a grin against my chest. "…but what a way to go, right?" She murmured sleepily; her voice mirroring her satisfaction.

A rueful chuckle escaped my lips. "Yeah, maybe…" I agreed with her; running my hand up and down her back gently. Damn, I couldn't stop touching her, holding her.

"Mmm…" She moaned contentedly. There was a long pause during which I thought she'd fallen asleep but then she stirred slightly. "I love you Jake…" came her sleepy admission. My arms tightened around her reflexively. Somehow I didn't think I'd ever get used to hearing her say that, no matter how many times she said it. With difficulty I swallowed the response that was hovering on the tip of my tongue. "Get some sleep Bells…" I muttered half-heartedly instead; pressing an absent kiss to her forehead. She didn't seem to notice my lack luster response as she snuggled into the crook of my neck and promptly drifted off; my caress apparently lulling her to sleep.

I, on the other hand, felt wide awake and alert.

She felt so right in my arms… like she'd been made for them, like she belonged. Her body fit mine perfectly… like we were two parts of a jigsaw puzzle. I could go on just holding her forever.

I scoffed at myself for my lovesick musings and decided that I had to get out of bed before I was tempted to wake her up once again to show my 'love' for her. Damn, I felt like a sex addict. It didn't help my cause that the bed, heck the whole room reeked of sex. There were so many pheromones in the room that I felt drunk on them! Maybe a shower was in order before I attacked her like a sex-starved maniac.

I continued holding her till I was sure she was fast asleep before I rolled over and gently laid her down on the bed. After making sure she was down for the count, I rolled out of bed reluctantly and hurried over to the shower without sparing her even a glance lest my good intentions flew out of the window. I shut and locked the door and turned the shower on full blast. Then, sucking in my breath in anticipation of the ice-cold water, I stepped in.

Ten minutes later, squeaky clean and with a mind devoid of all impure intentions, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my hips while vigorously drying my wet hair with another.

Just as I was stepping out of the bathroom I heard the shrill peel of the telephone. I hurriedly dumped down my wet towel and after making sure the sound of the phone hadn't woken Bella up; I picked up the receiver. "Hello…?" I answered curtly, slightly irritated at being disturbed at home so late at night.

"Um, hey boss, sorry for disturbing you at this late hour. I hope you weren't sleeping. I um…can call back in the morning. I didn't realize it was this late. I'm really sorry." A familiar voice stuttered at the other end. Vaguely I realized that it was the voice of the head of my research department – Reeve Ortiz on the line.

'_What the hell is he doing calling me in the middle of the night?'_

I felt the immediate rush of adrenaline as each of my senses sharpened, readied for combat. My mind automatically shifted gears, shelving the anger and frustration and switching into leadership mode.

The impatience in my voice drained off, leaving a sharp sense of worry in its wake. The last time I'd received a call from the office this late at night, it had been bad news. I don't know why but this call gave me the same vibe. My body stiffened; preparing itself for the worst. "Don't worry about it, Reeve, go ahead. Is there some kind of a problem?"

The calm authority in my voice seemed to settle Reeve's nerves as well. "No, boss, nothing's wrong exactly. I mean, no one's hurt or anything like that. But, Rafe and I were working late tonight, sifting through all the new information we've received from the archives and all of our earlier data and we came across something that I thought you might find interesting." He explained competently. "In fact I knew you would want to go through it right away so I called La Push, wanting to talk to you but Embry told me you'd be here…which is perfect and that's the reason I called right away."

The archives – I knew he was talking about the old historical chronicles we'd requested from the tribal council.

Some of the earlier tension drained out of my body only to be replaced by a sense of nervous anticipation. I couldn't help hoping that this was the break in the case we'd desperately been hoping for.

"Well…?" I questioned; impatient to hear the news.

"Uh, yeah, boss, I don't think this is something I should be sharing with you over the phone." Reeve continued apologetically. "Besides, there's something here that you should really see. Would you mind coming into the office right away? I could send a car to pick you up…" He continued sounding more and more apologetic as he went on.

I threw an absent minded glance towards the bed while weighing the pros and cons of going to the office right now with Bella still asleep in my bed. "How long do you think this'll take?" I questioned Reeve.

"Uh… shouldn't take more than an hour, hour and a half at the most." He answered.

"And this is really important?" I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't waste my time with something that might as well have waited till the next day.

"Yes boss. I really think you need to see this." He replied back gravely. He fell silent, allowing me a brief moment to contemplate my options.

"Alright then!" I said, coming to a quick decision. "I'll be in shortly. But, Reeve, you better not be wasting my time!" I warned him lightly.

"Uh…um… no, no time wastage happening here. I'm sure you'll agree with me once you've seen the things we found out for yourself. Some of the discoveries are very surprising; not to mention rather astonishing."

That was all it took to convince me. I knew Reeve wouldn't say such a thing unless he meant it.

I contemplated waking up Bella to tell her that I'd be back shortly but she was sleeping so peacefully that I didn't have the heart to do so. And besides, I'd be back before she even knew I was gone, so it didn't seem worth the effort.

"So, should I send the car?" he repeated.

"Don't bother. I'll come in myself." I informed him emphatically. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

The office was about a 6 mile distance away from my condominium and the drive would take less than ten minutes. However I'd been feeling the need for speed all night long.

Feeling a sense of anticipation, I quickly changed into a pair of casual cargos and a black pullover teemed with my sneakers. I donned my leather jacket and picked up the safety helmet.

Gathering up my keys and switching off the lights, I pulled the door closed behind me and made my way out into the open night air. Breathing in the rain scented air; I kick started my bike and zoomed my way towards the office. Barely five minutes later, I could see the office building looming in the distance.

I brushed off the water droplets clinging to my jacket and vigorously slicked back my still-damp hair before stepping into the elevator leading to the office which occupied the entire top floor of the structure. As I was waiting for the elevator to reach its destination, I couldn't help but feel the same sense of accomplishment and joy I felt every time I thought of all that I'd managed to achieve in my short life. The sense of accomplishment was of course marred by the confrontation I'd had with the leech this morning. Dammit, every time I came across him I couldn't help but feel at a disadvantage… and he didn't waste any opportunity to rub his wealth in my face!

He made me feel like I somehow didn't deserve someone like Bella. I'd worked damn hard to get where I was today and even though I'd never be able to give her or any other girl the life that Edward fucking Cullen would be able to give her; I could give her a whole lot more than I could've given her six years ago. So why was it that he still managed to make me feel like a poor, dirty, disgusting boy from the reservation who didn't deserve to breathe the same air as her?

I shook off the irritating thoughts as I walked into the reception area and saw Sammy still seated at her desk. "Hey, Sam… what're you still doing here?" I questioned in surprise.

"Jake! What're you doing in Seattle? And when did you get back from La Push? And more importantly, why are you here – in the office – so late?" Her eyes had lit up the moment she saw me and I internally cursed myself once more for being so blind to her feelings for me. Now that Bella had pointed out to me how Sammy felt, it was more than obvious in her every movement, her every action. I made up my mind to have a chat with her sometime soon…probably when I was in a better mood than I was in now.

I brought my mind back to the current situation. "Reeve called. He and Rafe have something that they want to discuss with me. I was in town, so I thought I'd drop by." I explained patiently. "So, you didn't answer my question. What're you doing here so late?"

"Oh, we're all here actually. At least all of the clerical staff is here. Most of the guys are on assignment – as you already know, but the rest of us are putting in extra hours trying to find all the information we can find about the break-in and the murders." She shuddered delicately prompting me to put a soothing hand on her arm.

"Hey, don't worry Sammy. We're not going to let anything like that happen again, alright?" I tried to convey with a look that she was safe here and I was glad when it succeeded in lessening the fear in her eyes. Unfortunately for me, my actions also succeeded in putting a mushy, adoring expression in her eyes. I shuddered fearfully. She was looking at me as if I was her stupid hero or something. Damn, I was going to have to deal with this situation much sooner than I would've liked. I backed off quickly and spoke in the most professional tone of voice I could manage. "Alright, now where do I find Reeve?"

"He's in the library."

I gave her a brief – what I hoped was a brotherly – smile before making my way to our pride and joy – our quickly expanding research department. It was equipped with tons of books, journals and periodicals – all of them dealing with the supernatural side of life as well the latest computers and browsing devices. In other words, it was nerd heaven.

I couldn't believe that we – the pack…me – we'd come up with the idea for this place but it'd proved invaluable on most occasions. The information that this single room contained on supernatural phenomena could probably rival the X-Files if they really did exist. Needless to say, access to this area was very, very restricted and the people who worked here, thoroughly screened. All the people who worked in this department were aware of the 'other' side of life and had a fair idea of what the firm actually dealt with. For the longest time after they joined us Reeve, Rafe and the other people who worked in this department had suspected that we were somewhat more than the usual run of the mill human beings but when we'd revealed the fact that we were in fact, werewolves it'd still come as a huge shock to them.

As I typed in my security code and waited for the huge armored doors to open, I couldn't help but think that Bella would love this place. The thought brought another frown to my face. God, I was such a schmuck in love.

The two guys hunched over huge, decrepit leather bound tomes proved a welcome distraction from my thoughts.

"So, I'm here. What've you guys got for me?" I questioned brusquely.

They were both startled out of their intense concentration by my greeting. "Hey, boss man!" Rafe – the more outgoing of the two greeted me back, while Reeve – the more studious one – just gave me a smile. "Come check out the marvels we've managed to uncover with our genius." Rafe continued.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the boast but instead of calling him on it; I just leaned over their shoulders to look at the page they were scrutinizing.

The old, faded words didn't make much sense to me. "What am I looking at, exactly?"

Before Rafe could go off on a tangent, Reeve stepped in, delicately clearing his throat. "This is one of the oldest and possibly the first written account of the creatures your people refer to as 'The Cold Ones'. It talks about the first encounter your people had with them, who and what they were, their characteristics, their powers, how to destroy them…all the usual bits of information. It's pretty detailed for a first account actually. Your ancestors were nothing if not thorough."

I raised surprised eyes to his. "Whoa! I didn't actually know that such a book even existed. You'd think it'd be like a manual within the werewolves on the Rez, right? I mean, we could've used the information when we first started phasing, blundering around, making mistakes!" I muttered; more than slightly put off that we were only now hearing about this. "So, what does it say? Anything we haven't heard of before?" I asked distractedly.

"Oh, you don't know the half of it actually. Apparently, there are more than one type of vampires that your ancestors knew of…" Rafe explained gleefully, clearly enjoying himself.

"What…?!? That's impossible!" I spluttered, not knowing how to react to this shocking bit of information.

He just stared at me patiently till I had no choice but to consider what he was saying as a possibility.

"More than one type…? What the hell? And when you say more than one, how many types are you talking about here? How are they different from the ones we know of now? And at the risk of sounding repetitive, why am I only now hearing about this? If the Elders knew, why weren't we told sooner? How could they have kept something like this a secret?" I exploded angrily, disbelievingly.

"The only plausible explanation for your lack of knowledge that I can come up with is that the only exposure with the 'other' kind of vamps happened in the very early days of the council. As the contact lessened, so did the information about them. The last entry of this species in any of these journals is over five hundred years ago. As far as I know, I don't think any of your people have had contact with them for at least the last three to four hundred years. So, for all you know, your father and the other elders might not even know that these 'others' exist." Reeve explained patiently.

I shook my head disbelievingly.

"As for how they're different from the vampires you know, well, they're not stone-like, for one thing." He went on with the explanation. "They don't sparkle in the sunlight for another. Sunlight actually burns them. But the most noticeable difference between them and your regular vampires is that they aren't venomous. So, a bite from one of them wouldn't automatically turn you into one of them. Which are all advantages as far as you're concerned if you think about it."

"Whatever…" I spoke impatiently. "Tell me the important stuff. They must have their own set of advantages and weaknesses. Tell me about those. And tell me how I can kill them."

"Well… they won't smell sickly sweet to you, so you won't be able to detect their presence that way. That's a definite advantage they have over you. They look more normal…human. Then, there's the speed and strength. They are definitely faster and stronger than the vampires you currently associate with. In fact, the older they are; the stronger and faster they get."

"Dammit!" I cursed heatedly.

"As for how you'd kill one of them, there are several ways to get that done. Burning them would still work. Fire's deadly to them. The other way is to behead them. Then, of course, there's exposing them to sunlight which would result in them being burned to a crisp. And finally, stakes." Reeve continued matter-of factly.

"Stakes…?" I questioned, not sure if I'd heard him right.

"Yes, stakes… you know, the sharp, pointy, wooden things…"

"I know what stakes are!" I interrupted angrily.

"… that you can shove through their hearts causing them to disintegrate into a pile of dust." He continued patiently – without acknowledging my outburst – as if he was talking to a child.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" I couldn't help but exclaim. "So, what you're saying is that Buffy had it right…? There are actual, honest to goodness vampires out there that turn into a pile of dust when you shove a piece of wood into their hearts…?"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's exactly what we're saying."

"Un-freaking-believable!" I spoke incredulously. "I can't believe that something like this was out there in the world and I'm only just now hearing about it!"

"Why are you so surprised? If there are more than one type of werewolves, why can't there be more than one type of vampires? Or have you forgotten about the 'children of the moon' and how you've never had any contact with them either?" Reeve questioned seriously.

"_Fuck!" _My exclamation was more than heartfelt. Reeve's logic was flawless but that still didn't make my lack of knowledge easier to swallow. "So, why hasn't there been more contact with these vampires?" I questioned a little more rationally. "I mean, why is it that the only ones we've dealt with so far are of the other kind?"

"I don't really know but I assume that it has something to do with your treaty with the Cullen's. They practically live on your lands, they have a regular interaction with your people, hence they're better known to you and your tribe. The other kind, they tend to be more reclusive, more private and I highly doubt that any of them are vegetarians like the Cullen's are. So, it's natural for them to avoid being detected, right? Besides, since you're the only known threat to them, they'd be really stupid to seek you out wouldn't they? I mean, why would anyone want to face their natural born enemy willingly, huh?" he paused for a moment or two to allow his words to sink in before adding ominously. "Something tells me that stupid is the last thing that they are!"

I paced around agitatedly, trying to assimilate this sudden deluge of information.

A thought occurred to me bringing me to a sudden halt. "Is that what Bella's nighttime stalker is? A vampire of this other kind…?" I questioned severely.

Both of them gave each other a grave look. "Yes, it looks that way."

"_FUCK!_" I swore, allowing myself a brief moment of fury and worry before calming myself down. "Proof…?" I asked succinctly.

"Nothing concrete as of yet. It's all just speculation right now."

I tried to calm my rioting thoughts and think through the whole thing rationally. "Okay, well, let's just assume for a minute that isn't just speculation, alright? How in the world is he doing the 'appearing in her dreams at will and knowing exactly what she's been going through' thing, huh?"

Reeve shifted around uncomfortably in his seat and refused to meet my eyes. I had a sinking feeling that I wouldn't like what he had to say one bit. "Welll… umm… uh… frankly speaking, I have no clue. But – and this might sound pretty outlandish – but it might be some kind of a spell…" He trailed off uncertainly.

I couldn't have heard him right, could I? "Spell…?" I asked disbelievingly." As in… magic…? Like voodoo…? Abracadabra…? Really?" I scoffed. I had an uncontrollable urge to laugh out loud but I controlled it because I had a feeling he'd be offended if I did.

He gave me a disgruntled look. "So, let me get this straight. You're an alpha werewolf whose birthright is to kill vampires and who owns a security firm which specializes in all sorts of supernatural beings but you don't believe in the possibility of magic?!?"

That shut me up right quick. When he put it that way I had to admit that my disbelief was pretty ridiculous. "So what're you saying…? That magic really exists?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, it does. It's not very common but there have been isolated accounts of it throughout time."

I was horrified. How was it possible that I hadn't heard about all of this before today? I mean, we dealt with the supernatural on an almost daily basis for heaven's sake!

I shook my head to clear it. "So, what, this vampire is also a _magician_?!?" I questioned Reeve with dawning horror.

"Sorcerer" Rafe interrupted.

"Huh, what…?" I questioned confusedly.

"The correct term for a magic wielding man is sorcerer. Or a wizard if you want to get technical." Rafe explained sincerely.

"Do I look like I give a _damn_ about technicalities!?" I gritted from between my teeth. "All I want to know is, is he freaking Gandalf or not…?"

"Dude!!" Rafe protested with a pained expression on his face. "That's so wrong! That's like saying that Harry Potter was Voldemort's evil spawn!!"

"At the risk of repeating myself, can I just say, _huh, what_…?" I shook my head, unable to comprehend how the conversation had drifted off on such a tangent.

"Harry Potter was the hero of the series and Voldemort was the villain." He went on with exaggerated patience. "Come on, that's such a rookie mistake! Did you even _read_ the series?? And Gandalf was one of the _good_ guys; clearly the most powerful members of the Fellowship of the Ring!" He took in my flabbergasted expression. "You know what, never mind!" he spoke with ill concealed impatience. "Let's just compare this dude to Sauron… or even Volde..."

"I swear to God Rafe, if you finish that sentence I'm going to bash your head against the wall." I growled furiously.

"Hey! What did I do…? Is it my fault that you're not into popular culture?" Rafe inquired indignantly.

I restrained the urge to shake him till his teeth rattled. "I don't give a _fuck_ about analogies or popular culture, you moron! And for your information, I've read the damn books!"

"Aha! That just makes your mistakes even more unforgivable then!" he countered triumphantly.

"Enough!" A menacing growl escaped my lips. "_Is he or is he not a fucking 'sorcerer'?_"

"Uh, we don't know." Reeve interrupted hastily recognizing the signs of my quickly dwindling patience. "It's not an everyday occurrence for a sorcerer to be turned. So, I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably not. Once again, this is all just speculation, mind you, but if he's as old and as powerful as we think he is, he might be working _with_ someone who deals in the black arts."

Perfect! Just freaking perfect!

"So how do we prove any of this? I mean, I can't work on speculation alone. Besides, this is Bella we're talking about here. I'm not taking any chances with her safety!"

"Oh, oh… we forgot to show you the most important part!" Rafe interrupted excitedly.

"Now what…?" I groaned dreading whatever was coming next.

He turned towards his workstation and fiddled around on his laptop for a couple of minutes.

"Take a look." He directed my gaze towards the huge LCD screen set up in the middle of the room. It was blank. I looked towards him questioningly. "What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"Wait for it…" He explained. "It'll take a few minutes for the satellite images to load."

True to his word, a few moments later, the images began loading on the screen. What looked like huge plumes of smoke filled the whole screen. A distinct sense of unease began to percolate my conscious. "What am I looking at?" I questioned hesitantly.

"The satellite is focused on the city of Volterra. Or what's left of it after an unidentified explosion rocked the city a few days ago."

'_Volterra…? Holy fucking shit!'_

"What does this mean?" I asked with a growing sense of urgency.

"They're gone, Jake." I think my blank stare prompted Reeve to be a little more specific. "The Volturi are gone. Destroyed. Annihilated. Extinct."

'_Holy mother of…' _

"How is this possible?" I argued.

"Jake, this is a good thing, remember. Your Bella is finally safe. No more turn or be killed. No more constant threat to her life. You should be happy." Rafe elaborated impatiently.

"Fuck yes, a part of me is happy that those fucking bastards are gone. But, the other part of me is freaking terrified! I mean, these guys were supposed to be badasses, right? The rulers of the vampire world…? The head honchos…? The wielders of all powers; the ones who dealt out all the punishments…? Fuck, they had the Cullen's running scared all those years ago!" I elaborated, running my fingers through my hair agitatedly. "How in the hell do things like these get eliminated, huh? What or who could be strong enough to get the better of these fuckers, huh? Goddammit!!"

Reeve and Rafe finally seemed to get the seriousness behind my words and shared grave looks with each other. Before I could say anything else, my cell phone beeped indicating an incoming call. I impatiently checked out the caller ID, not happy about the interruption. The display read Embry Call. I looked at the display disbelievingly for a few moments before glancing at my watch.

3.52 am.

What the hell?? Why would he be calling me at this time of the night?!? Something wasn't right here. The sense of foreboding from earlier was back and it was stronger than ever before.

I'd barely clicked answer and managed to utter hello before he burst out agitatedly. "Jake man, you have _got_ to come home right now!"

My senses went haywire at the note of panic in his voice. This was Embry we were talking about. He was unshakable usually…even in the worst of situations, unflappable. I'd never seen him out of sorts or shook up…not even over Leah's current behavior. He was usually calm, patient, logical, methodical…dependable. Not so now. And the fact that he sounded so panicked did not bode well at all. I tried desperately not to panic myself and made a point to inject a sense of calm into my tone. "What's wrong?"

"Fuck! Everything…" He swore. "There is some weird shit going on here Jake! Something unlike anything we've ever come across before! It's completely fucked up, man! Jesus…it's just fucked up!"

My spidey senses tingled to life. Responding to the unseen threat my whole body; by very _being_ tensed with the yearning to be with my pack. As capable as they were of taking care of themselves it was my duty as alpha to guide them, to lead them… to protect them. The thought of them having to face any threat without my presence was unbearable!

"Alright, Em, calm down." I spoke as reassuringly as I could. "Talk to me." I urged him gently; injecting just enough of an alpha command in my voice to calm him down but not enough to overwhelm him into obeying me. "Start at the beginning. Tell me what happened."

My ploy worked. I could slowly discern the change in his breathing as he gained some semblance of control over his emotions.

"Jared and Paul were patrolling tonight in the woods near Forks." He began slowly after taking a couple of deep breaths. "They came across five bodies, Jake. _FIVE!_ They'd all been brutally savaged. It was a fucking massacre Jake!"

"Jesus Christ!" I swore swiftly and succinctly. "Who?" I questioned tersely. "Anyone we know?" I prayed desperately that his answer be no.

"No… it looked like they weren't from around here. Hikers in all probability; come here for some camping."

The sense of relief that followed his pronouncement was immediate and immense…as was the crushing guilt. I had no business being relieved when five seemingly innocent people had died on our watch!

"They all had bite marks; they were all drained of blood." The regret and torment in Embry's voice was evident. I couldn't blame him. I understood his anger. Fuck, I _shared_ his anger! For people like us – for whom protecting innocents lives was part of our genetic makeup – it was a terrible burden to bear that there were some people out there that we couldn't protect, couldn't save.

"How in the name of God did this happen? How the hell did they manage to make it past our perimeter? And how the fucking hell could they have slipped past us and managed to kill so many?" I demanded heatedly before I could help myself.

I knew I should be more patient. I knew I shouldn't lose my temper but I couldn't help but think of those innocent victims who'd died needlessly. We should've been able to save them dammit!

"I don't know man, I just don't know." Embry responded shamefully. "We just didn't see them or sense them or hear them. We didn't even smell them and I don't know how in the fucking hell that could've happened!"

My eyes met with Reeve's with dawning realization. _'HOLY CRAP! Was it really possible that the monsters that we'd just been talking about had already infiltrated our territory? And if so, was it just a freaky coincidence or was it something more sinister?'_

"And that's not all." Embry continued.

'_Dear God, what more was there…?'_

"It looked like they'd been involved in some kind of a ritual sacrifice."

"What the hell…?" I blurted out before I could help it. "What do you mean ritual…? Wait; hold on Em, I'm going to put you on speaker phone alright? I'm here at the office with Reeve and Rafe and I think it's better if they hear whatever you have to say too." I clicked the button to put the call on speaker. "Alright Em, go ahead."

"Yeah, so… the bodies weren't thrown around randomly; they were arranged in a specific pattern at the five points of a star shape etched into the earth. The star was enclosed within a circle of some kind. And the area at the center of the star had been charred, like some kind of a fire had been lit within."

The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach worsened.

"As I mentioned, the bodies had all been drained of blood…but it wasn't the usual modus operandi of a vampire. I mean, sure, they'd been bitten but there were multiple shallow bites on each of the bodies and there were blood tracks on the ground, almost like whoever killed these people had deliberately allowed their blood to spill that way. I couldn't discern any particular pattern to the spills but I've taken some pictures and I'll send them to you as soon as I can so that you can have a look at it too."

My eyes involuntarily flashed to Reeve who seemed to be frozen in place in horror. That's all it took for my sense of unease to be converted into a raging panic. "Em, who's at the site right now?" I spoke with growing urgency.

"No one right now, Jake, why…?" He asked sounding confused.

The sense of relief was overwhelming. "Nothing, nothing… just, stay away from the place until I get there, okay?"

"Alright, sure man…" From the tone of his voice I knew that he thought I'd lost my mind but I didn't care. I'd gladly be thought of as crazy or as a pansy if it meant that my pack was safe from harm.

"I mean it Em… No one goes out there alone. This is a direct order from your alpha. Do not disobey me!"

"Alright, alright, jeez! I got it man, no one's going to go there alone. Don't have a cow!"

I allowed myself the luxury of a brief moment of relief before shaking off the feeling and taking stock of the situation. "Alright, here's what you're going to be doing. We're going to be stepping up the patrols." I spoke briskly. "And we're going to be changing our usual patterns of two people per team to three people per team. Em; Quil, Seth and you will patrol together. Leah, Jared and Collin will be the other team and Sam, Paul and Brady will form the third. Between the three teams, you will be on watch continuously till I get there. Absolutely no breaks between patrols, got it?" I questioned sharply.

"You got it Jake." Embry answered instantly. "The guys are all here with me and we all heard you."

"Good, that's good. Try to cover as much ground as you can, Forks included but don't go too far from each other!" As much as it chaffed me to do so I knew I couldn't afford to let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. So I swallowed my pride and continued. "And Em, one of you let the Cullen's know about this new development, okay? Ask them if maybe they're willing to help us out with the patrols."

Embry murmured disapprovingly.

"Don't argue with me Em! I know it isn't the most ideal situation but we need them, okay? They don't need to sleep and they don't get tired so they can cover more ground." I explained. "And listen, this might potentially be something new that we're dealing with. So, don't let down your guards even if you don't catch a trail. I can't go into too much detail over the phone but I've just come to know that there is a different breed of vampires out there in the world that we know nothing about. I suspect that we could be dealing with these vamps here. So, you might not be able to detect them by smell. And they'll look different from the leeches that we're used to. They'll _feel_ different… more human. But that doesn't mean that they are! I don't know how else to describe them except… think Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I explained impatiently.

"And remember, no matter how that look or smell or feel, they're still murdering monsters and they're still our mortal enemies! So, don't hesitate!" I tried to convey all of the stuff I'd learned tonight as quickly and as concisely as possible. "Do you copy?" I barked out sharply.

"Copy that, Jake!" Embry responded instantly.

Having said everything I had to say, I relaxed and allowed myself to be a friend rather than the alpha. "Watch your backs out there! Be alert! Stay safe!! Something tells me that this isn't going to be a simple, straightforward hunt. There's so much more that you guys need to know about but I don't think it is something that I can tell you over the phone. I'll fill you in once I get back but till then, just trust me when I say that this is something huge Em. Promise me you'll all be careful."

Recognizing the urgency in my voice Embry answered solemnly. "We'll be careful, I promise. And we'll take care of Seth, Collin and Brady." At those words, the tension drained out my body. It was at times like this that I was thankful that Embry was my best friend. He knew me inside out. He'd understood my reasoning behind putting each of the younger wolves with two of the more seasoned ones and put my mind to rest without me having to say a single word.

I could hear the three guys in question protesting in the background about how they were capable of taking care of themselves. But no matter how old they became, they'd always be the pack babies and as such we'd all always feel the need to look after them.

"Good! Now go!" I ordered.

"Oh, Jake one last thing…" Embry inserted just as I was about to hang up. "Bella's with you, right? Cuz with everything going on, I don't think it's a good idea to leave her alone."

'_Bella! Holy fucking shit! How in the world could I have forgotten about her even for one second? Shit! Shit! SHIT!!!'_

"_Fuck!_ Em, I gotta go! Talk to you later." I hung up the phone abruptly and turned sharply towards Reeve. "You and Rafe are going with me to La Push! Get everything you need from here, books, research material, your laptops, clothes. You're going to be there a while, I think. Whatever you don't get, we'll buy, okay, so don't worry about it. I have to run home quickly but I'll be back to pick you up in about 45 minutes or so. I want you packed and ready to leave by then, got it?" I called out distractedly over my shoulder dialing Bella's cell phone number while making my way out of the office hurriedly.

"Come on, pick up, pick up…_pick UP_!" I muttered hopefully as the phone rang at the other end.

"Hi…Bella here…"

"Hey Bells…" I spoke, weak kneed in relief.

"I'm unable to pick up your call right now. But, if you leave your name and phone number after the beep I'll get back to you as soon as I can." Her cheerful voicemail message continued making a mockery of my relief.

"Shit!" I waited impatiently for the beep then spoke urgently. "Bells, it's me. Where are you sweetheart? Maybe you're still asleep. God I hope you're still asleep!" I muttered before catching myself. "Anyway, I'm on my way home right now and I guess I'll see you soon but if you get this message before I do then I want you to call me immediately, okay? I don't care if you think I'm being stupid just call me! Anyway, something's come up and we have to head back to La Push immediately so I'm on my way to pick you up." I hesitated, not knowing what else to add; tempted to tell her how much I loved her. But telling her how I felt about her for the first time over the phone wasn't how I'd imagined doing it. "See you soon…" I muttered feeling extremely foolish for taking that interminable pause. "Bye." I hung up the phone feeling discontented and ill at ease.

I knew that she'd probably be alright, asleep in my bed like I'd left her but I'd just feel better once I saw her. I just _had_ to see her. I gunned my bike; determined to reach her in a hurry.

I knew as soon as I stepped out of the elevator on my floor and saw the door to my condo ajar that something wasn't quite right.

Despite the alarm spiking through me, I closed my eyes; consciously took a deep, calming breath and expanded my senses; trying to get a feel of my surroundings; trying to make out any movements from within the house.

Nothing. Just utter calm.

I couldn't even hear Bella's breath.

_No, no, no, no, no, NO! _

A debilitating sense of panic invaded me, making me almost freeze due to fear.

But I shook it off determinedly.

"Bella…?" Logically I knew she wasn't there but right now, I didn't give a flying fuck about logic! Irrational as it was I couldn't help but wish that I was wrong…that my senses were wrong for once in my life. "Bells…?" I called out a little louder this time.

No answer. Not even a peep… just absolute, utter silence.

My heart sank.

I tried desperately to convince myself that maybe her not being her wasn't such a big deal…that maybe she had just left on her own and maybe she'd just forgotten to close the door behind her but instinctively I knew that this wasn't the case.

I pushed the door of the house open marginally and eased myself in through it poised and alert for any kind of danger.

It was the smell that hit me first. Blood; fresh blood… _human_ blood. And lots of it.

I almost gagged as the overwhelming stench of it invaded my senses.

An overwhelming, all consuming fear filled me. A haze descended down on my eyes and I reacted instantaneously; recklessly rushing inside.

The state of my living room brought me screeching to a halt. It looked like a tornado had hit and the room was at the center of the storm. The furniture had been overturned and papers were strewn all around. The glass doors leading to the balcony had been shattered and shards of glass were littered all over the place.

Then I saw the bloody footprints… beginning from the balcony and leading right up to my bedroom. Tiny, delicate footprints. Oh God, Bella's footprints…?

I ran towards the bedroom which; if you could believe it; was in even worse shape than the rest of the house.

Here the door had literally been smashed in and pieces of wood were lying haphazardly on the ground.

The lamp had been overturned and the bulb shattered.

My work desk had been ransacked, the drawers overturned and their contents littered the floor. My laptop had been smashed to pieces.

The bed hadn't fared any better. The bedcovers had been ripped to shreds; the mattress itself pulled half off the bed and gouged out in the middle.

And there on the floor, right beside the bed was an ominous, dark red stain.

It was my worst nightmare brought to life.

My legs buckled from beneath me and I fell to my knees weakly.

My vision swam for a moment and I had to use all of my considerable willpower in an effort not to lose the contents of my stomach right there on the bedroom floor.

"Oh Christ… _No!_" I breathed fervently praying to a God I wasn't sure I believed in anymore. "Oh Jesus Christ… _BELLA!!!_"

**A/N: - So, the action's heating up, huh? What happened to Bella? Where did she disappear? And what's happening with the murders and weird rituals in La Push…? Dun, dun, dun… If you review and ask nicely, I **_**might**_** answer some of your questions. LOL! There, now I've even given you an incentive to review. **

**Also, I just wanted to inform everyone that I now have an account on Jacob Black N Pack under the same name. I've not yet begun posting Unforgettable there but I intend to do so soon. And, Take My Breath Away has already been posted there. So, hope that puts your mind at rest. Even if something happens to the story here you'll still be able to follow it there. **

**With that out of the way, I want to thank Ashley and Cheryl as usual – profusely and from the bottom of my heart –for being their awesome beta selves! I couldn't ever do this without their help and support.**

**And last but not least, there's Erin; my soulmate cum beta cum lemon consultant. She is nothing short of fantabulous! Trust me, this chapter wouldn't have even been completed without her help and input. She pushed and prodded and encouraged and cajoled me into finishing the chapter and as if that wasn't enough, she then beta'd it and gave me some extraordinary suggestions on how to make it better. Thank you babe… I swear, you're the bestest!**

**Now, you know the drill folks. Click on the green button and let me know what you think. Come on, you know you want to! Don't make me beg now. **


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Disclaimer: - I own nothing except my own X-rated, perverted, twisted fantasies involving Jacob, the nearest available flat surface and me…ahem…uh…I mean, Bella. Sorry! I have absolutely **_**no**_** idea where that 'me' came from, **_**I swear**_**. I **_**always**_** meant to say Bella. LOL!**

**A/N: - So, I know it's been eons since my last update. I don't even have any excuses for the delay. I suck! That should about sum it up for you. I'm really sorry for leaving all of you hanging. I hope the update more than makes up for the delay.**

**Don't worry; I didn't waste all of my off time doing nothing. In fact, I put it to good use writing a J/B one-shot for the Choose Me contest on JBnP called Destiny. And it was declared a co-winner! :D It's a reimagining of the Tent scene in Eclipse and it's posted on my profile page. Go check it out – its lemonicious – and let me know what you think, alright? I mean it people, you better leave reviews or I'll refrain from posting for a long, long time! Grr…**

**Anyway, getting back to **_**this**_** chapter, as always, it is dedicated to Erin, Ashley, Wendy and Cheryl… some of the best friends I've made on FF! **

**And it is also dedicated to sweetdreams1 for her unfailing persistence and patience! Hope you can get off that cliff now! :P **

**Warning – Slightly dark themes. Blood. Gore. Violence. Not for the fainthearted. Read at your own risk. You have been warned.**

BPOV

A couple of hours earlier Jake's apartment

Everything around me was bathed in a silvery blue haze.

I felt an intense sense of disorientation…almost as if I was walking underwater. Sounds came to me as if from a distance and my movements seemed to take place in slow motion.

A tiny part of me wondered about the absurdity of it all but for the most part I ignored it, too wrapped up in feeling to give any thought to the discrepancies.

Jake and I were spread out on his bed in a convoluted tangle of arms and legs… Our breaths came in heavy pants… our bodies glistened with sweat. My body was still tingling from the aftermath of one of our intense lovemaking sessions.

No words were said but a deep sense of contentment… of happiness and love lingered in the air around us.

His head rested on my stomach while his fingers trailed around my breast; flicking my nipple teasingly. I hummed deep in my throat with a sense of deep satisfaction. He placed tiny, smacking kisses on my chest while I ran my fingers through his soft hair lovingly.

"God, I love you Bella!" he murmured in a heartfelt whisper and my whole heart…my entire _body_ seized up with joy at the words.

This was the first time, in six long years, that he'd said those words to me; of that I was certain, and yet, I couldn't shake the certainty that we'd been here… in this position a million times before. It was an oddly disconcerting feeling.

I shook it off to focus on the moment at hand.

"Oh Jake!" I exclaimed; my voice quivering with unshed tears, "I love you too…so, so much!"

He propped himself up on his elbows and looked into my eyes giving me his deep, melting grin. "I know you do, honey!"

He leaned down to place a chaste kiss on my lips but I was having none of that. I grabbed onto him with both arms and both legs, unbalancing him and quickly turned over so that he came down on the bed beneath me. "Oomph… Hey!" he protested laughingly.

I paid him no attention and concentrated on smothering him with kisses. "Alright, alright, I know you're hot for my body. But all you need to do is ask nicely. There's no need to attack me, woman!" he muttered half-heartedly, chuckling in amusement.

"Shut up Jake!" I retorted and kissed him deliberately and sensuously to reinforce my words.

He groaned deeply as I took his bottom lip between my lips and sucked on it. "God, you're insatiable!" he exclaimed huskily. "And I love it!"

As we stared lovingly into each other's eyes, I sensed a sudden and imperceptible shift in him.

Before I could comment on it, he leaned up as if to kiss me and just when I was distracted enough, tackled me and flipped me over.

The move knocked the breath out of my body and left me gasping in surprise. It was an unusually aggressive move for Jake to make.

Even before I could recover, his hand had moved to my naked breast; circling the nipple…slowly applying more and more pressure until he pinched it hard.

"_Jake!_" I gasped in surprise as I felt a slight twinge of pain shoot through me.

A strange expression crossed his face at my words. It was difficult to describe but, if I had to, I'd have described it as… calculating. Whatever it was, it left me feeling slightly uncomfortable.

His other hand wrapped itself in my loose hair, holding me in a tight, relentless grasp. It stung like hell. Tears of agony sprung to my eyes. "Stop it, Jake… that hurts!" I gasped out, my voice reflecting my confusion. His hand only tightened its grip further.

This was far beyond dominance. Something was wrong. Jake had never been this aggressive with me. Even earlier when he'd taken me against the living room wall; he'd been careful enough to ensure that he curbed his innate strength. This behavior was completely alien to him.

My heart began thudding painfully as I felt the first twinges of real fear course through me. "Jake, you're really hurting me! Please, stop it, please!" I gasped once again in an effort to snap him out it.

There was a scary gleam to his eyes as he took in my reactions. It was almost… almost like he was taking pleasure in my pain.

Blind terror seized me.

I struggled desperately in his grasp, trying to get free but it was an exercise in futility. Instead of letting go, he jerked me to him and tilted my head backwards, exposing my neck to his gaze. I whimpered in agony.

"Jake, stop! Please, think about what you're doing." I implored once again, hoping to reason with him but his attention was riveted to some point on my neck. There was a dazed look in his eyes… almost predatory. As if in slow motion, he leaned down and pressed his lips against my neck.

His hand reached down and caught hold of my nipple… digging his nails in; drawing blood. By this time, I was crying in earnest… tears that sprang in equal parts from fear, pain and heartbreak.

He leaned back momentarily as if to study my reaction, clinically taking in my tears and my pleas. His eyes were devoid of all emotion. "You have to go through the pain in order to gain an eternity of happiness, Isabella." He crooned.

Something about the way he said my name was intensely familiar. And not in a good way. My body had an almost visceral reaction to it and I shuddered in terror.

"Oohh… fear! I've always found it intoxicating!" He leaned down and sniffed my neck appreciatively. "Yours is… exhilarating!" His tongue snaked a moist, wet path all the way from my pulse point to my ear.

What the hell was going on here? Something was very wrong… very, very wrong.

And then, right before my eyes, Jake's face morphed into Vladimir's cruel visage. His eyes were blood red, his features distorted beyond imagination and his fangs were glistening in the moonlight. "Isabella…" he crooned in a mockery of the passion Jake's voice had held. "You belong to _ME!_"

His razor-sharp fangs drove into the soft skin of my neck.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" I screamed in terror.

The pain was unimaginable; worse than anything I'd ever experienced before. I could feel my heart pounding all my blood into his mouth as I grew weaker by the second.

"No, please, don't do this." I begged, with the last bit of my strength; hoping that he had some humanity left in him to appeal to. "I don't want to die…"

"Oh, but you have to, my sweet. How else will you fulfill your destiny…? _Our_ destiny…?"

And that's when I knew that there was nothing I could do. I was going to die.

I stopped struggling; coming to terms with my impending death.

Before I had even fully begun to grasp my fate, the pain stopped. Vladimir withdrew his fangs from my neck and backed off. Just like that, my ordeal was over… or so it seemed.

The relief was so overwhelming that I burst into loud, noisy sobs.

"Sh, shh, shhh…" Vladimir crooned. "Don't cry, my sweet."

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to stop the tears. "Why are you doing this? Why are you toying with me like this?" I sobbed. "You clearly want me dead. So why don't you just _kill_ me? Why put me through this _torture_?"

What the fuck was I doing? Why was I actually asking him to kill me? What the hell was wrong with me? Clearly I was on the verge of hysteria.

He looked back at me coldly, completely unaffected by my outburst. "Because it isn't time for your transformation yet. You're not ready. I'm _not_ ready! But in the meantime, I can't let you forget your destiny. You need to know who you belong to. I can't let you get too cozy with the dog. He's just a pawn. He'll be dealt with accordingly. But you, my love…? I can't have you sullied! I _won't_!" Dark, cold fury emanated from him as if in waves. _"Stay away from him! Stay away from all of them!" _He thundered.

All the glass in the room shattered spontaneously at his outburst.

I trembled fearfully. "If you think I'll give in to your sick, obsessive demands then you're sadly mistaken." I spoke with false bravado. "I'm not giving _them_ up! I'm not giving _Jake_ up!"

His eyes gleamed with frenzied fury. "Fine… then, suffer the consequences! I will destroy them… I will destroy them all. I will peel the skin off their bodies and bathe in their blood! I will tear their hearts out and eat them! I will harvest their organs; one at a time and make a feast of them! And I'll make you watch it all…"

At those words, the scene in front of my eyes morphed into one of my parents both lying side by side in a pool of their own blood, their bodies twisted beyond repair; their eyes staring blankly, lifelessly, accusingly back at me. They had puncture marks all over their broken bodies as Vladimir's minions fed off them.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" I screamed, running mindlessly towards them.

Before I could reach them, the entire scene disintegrated right before my eyes.

The next thing I knew I was standing at the edge of a clearing, watching down in revulsion as vampire Dylan and vampire Lisa tore into a crowd of helpless, innocent victims.

" _Dylan!_" I called out in horrified disbelief; not taking the time to think my actions through. The moment he heard me, he turned his predatory eyes towards me. "My, my Bella; so nice of you to join us. We've missed our little darling, haven't we, Lisa…?" Before I could even blink, they were standing right in front of me, grinning unholy grins at me. I felt _sick_ at the sight of the crimson red trails of blood flowing down their chins. "Come, we have some gifts for you…"

They dragged me by the arms and led me down into the clearing where I could see all the members of the pack – Jacob's friends; _my_ friends – lying broken and bloodied. I couldn't make myself turn away from the sight of the massacre even though I desperately wanted to. Most of the guys were still in wolf form, all of them missing various body parts… limbs, ears, eyes… Some of them had gaping holes where their stomach had been and their guts had been torn out of their bodies only to lie next to them in a bloody, discarded pile.

"See…?" Dylan rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Isn't this the best gift ever?"

The sight… his reaction… was so gruesome that I fell to my knees, puking my guts out.

"Stop! Please stop!" I screamed desperately.

The scene froze all around me as if someone had hit the pause button.

But I knew that my ordeal was far from over yet. I braced myself for whatever came next.

But nothing could've prepared me for the next image.

It was me; well, vampire me; with my fangs and my claws and my blood red eyes and my inhuman beauty… and I had Jacob's chest trapped between my thighs while I slowly… torturously squeezed the life out of him. He was obviously screaming in agony but I couldn't hear any actual noises…which actually made the whole spectacle worse. And then, right before my very own eyes, vampire me, reached into Jacob's chest and ripped out his still beating heart out.

"Oh God, _JAKE!" _I sobbed; collapsing to the ground; dry retching heavily; the images too gory to bear.

His blood coated every part of me…_her_… it covered her hands and dribbled down her chin. _I_ could almost… _smell_ it.

Blood gurgled out of his mouth as his life slowly drained out of him. The look on his face during the last few moments of his life would forever be etched on my brain. It was a look filled with agony and utter disgust and hurt and betrayal. I would never forget it as long as I lived.

My stomach rolled and I heaved some more.

Then, to my complete horror, I… _she_; brought Jake's heart to her mouth and tore into it hungrily. Then, she closed her eyes in ecstasy.

I couldn't watch anymore… I just couldn't. "Stoooop! Stooooooooop!" I yelled till my voice went hoarse. "Stop this, _please_! I don't want to see anymore. "

Vladimir materialized in front of me and stalked over to where I was rolled up in a ball on the floor. He crouched over me… close enough that I could smell the… _death_ lingering around him.

"Wake up, Isabella." He whispered; his ice cold breath tickling the shell of my ear. "I think it's high time we met, don't you?"

And just like that; as if a switch had been thrown; I was wide awake; bathed in a cold sweat and gasping desperately for breath. "_JAKE!_"

My horror-struck gaze immediately flew to my hands where I half expected to see a still beating human heart covered in blood and gore. The lack of light in the room, of course, prevented me from getting a good look; but I could see and feel enough that I knew that there wasn't a human organ in my hand.

Through the blind panic overwhelming my senses, the only conscious thought on my mind was the need to be held by Jake…to be protected by him... to be soothed by him.

The thought of him somehow managed to break through the almost cloying fear.

Jake… _Jake_... I was in Jake's bed; in his apartment. And everything else had been a dream… just a dream. It hadn't been real.

I was somewhat relieved.

With my stomach rolling around crazily and relying solely on instinct, I blindly groped around for the light switch. Thankfully, I found it before I passed out from an impending panic attack. Blinking owlishly from the sudden illumination in the room, I waited for the last vestiges of the nightmare to fade away.

Unfortunately, every time I closed my eyes, the images from the nightmare threatened to take over my mind. Feeling sick to my stomach, I ran towards the bathroom; praying all the while that I'd reach there in time to avoid emptying all the contents of my stomach onto Jake's snazzy imported carpet. As soon as I reached my destination, I fell down to my knees on the floor; shoved my head into the toilet bowl and puked my guts out.

Once I was reasonably sure that my stomach would behave, I walked up to the sink and splashed ice cold water on my face. Switching on the light in the bathroom, I carefully scrutinized my face in the full size mirror for any remnants of vampire-like qualities. Thankfully, what stared back at me was just plain old me.

I was relieved and horrified all at the same time. What in the hell had prompted my subconscious to dream up something so awful?

And how could something so appalling be just a dream? Was that _all_ it had been…? Because, God, it'd felt so real! And why was this happening to me…? Why was I having these insanely weird dreams again and again about this – for the lack of a better word – entity…? Was I losing my mind?

Just thinking back over the whole thing made me tremble uncontrollably. My heart was still pounding a mile a minute. The fear that had pervaded the dream was still there with me; seeping its way through every vein, every pore of my body… choking me.

Feeling cold all over, I hurried back into the room; wrapping the sheet from the bed around my naked body. Then I went from room to room switching on each and every light in the house… even the ones in the closets.

With the house blazingly lit up, I felt slightly better. The fear receded to the background; allowing room for other thoughts.

Like…where the _hell_ was Jake?

"Jake…?" I called out scratchily.

No answer.

Where could he have gone?

The last thing I remembered was falling asleep _on_ him. But now, the cold sheets on his side of the bed were a clear, glaring indication that he hadn't been there for a long, long time. In fact, if my estimate was accurate, he must've left the bed as soon as I fell asleep.

But that didn't necessarily mean anything, did it…? He must've had a pretty good reason for it, right…? And he must be in some other room, right…? But then, why hadn't I come across him during my mad dash around the house?

The pessimistic side of my nature insisted on pointing out that it was the middle of the night and that there was no logical reason why he'd be out of bed at this hour but I tried to squish it into oblivion.

"Jacob…?" I called out more loudly. Still nothing.

"Jacob…? Are you here?"

Not that I had actually expected an answer but I couldn't help going through the motions. A part of me… some kind of a sixth sense where Jake was concerned was telling me that he wasn't here. Mostly by rote, I checked out the rest of the house once again. The outcome wasn't any different than the last time.

And that was when the realization that Jake wasn't here finally sank in. And not just was he not in the room but he was not in the house at all…

But, where the hell could he have gone so late in the night? And why? And most importantly, why hadn't he told me he was leaving?

He'd left me alone, in his apartment in the middle of the night and he hadn't even felt the need to wake me up or leave a note for that matter.

Okay so, true, we'd had an awful fight earlier in the day but after the wild, insane way we'd fucked each other, I'd thought that we'd reached an understanding. I'd thought that we were at the beginning of something new…something good, great even. I'd thought that he'd forgiven me. I'd thought that after all these years and all the heartache, we'd finally found our way back to each other.

Clearly, I'd been wrong.

My nerves, still raw from the nightmare, chafed a little more at the feeling of helplessness and abandonment that came from his absence.

Tears sprang to my eyes. God, I was such a fool! And a masochist to boot! Always falling in love with men who didn't love me back…a surefire way to abandonment and a broken heart!

I furiously wiped at my cheeks, willing the tears to miraculously disappear. I loved Jake and clearly he didn't love me.

That was that. End of story. Time to get a grip and move on. I wasn't going to fall apart over this… I _wasn't_!

Trying to overcome the sadness; I walked back into the living room and picked up my haphazardly discarded clothes. Oh God, the images of how they'd ended up that way were clear in my mind; tormenting me with their vividness.

The way he'd trapped me against the wall… driving me insane with need…

The way he'd imprisoned my hands using my bra… and taken charge completely…

The way he'd tormented me…first with his fingers then with his tongue…

The way he'd moved within me; his thrusts driving us both to the brink of insanity…

And then, after all that, the way he'd tenderly carried me back to his bed and put me to sleep only to wake me up later and repeat the process all over again…

God, I'd never forget any of it… not for as long as I lived.

After all, it was clear to me now that memories were all that I'd have to live by, right?

I got dressed; not even bothering to take a shower. I couldn't bear the thought of washing Jake's scent off me. I found myself wanting to smell like him; for as long as I could. This was probably the last time I'd be able to; anyway.

I closed my eyes in despair; resigning myself to a future without Jake.

What else could I do? It wasn't like I had anyone else to blame for my plight but myself.

My erratic, on and off behavior of six years ago had obviously caused more damage than I'd initially thought. He'd clearly moved on from me.

The thought made my already bruised heart break in two.

But then, I couldn't go on fooling myself. Not once in the days since I'd come back had Jacob ever hinted at love. Sure he wanted me. I had ample proof of that. But love…? No, there was nothing to indicate that particular emotion. In fact now that I was focused on this topic I couldn't help but think back to tonight. I'd told him I loved him… twice…but he hadn't said it back, even once… not even deep in the throes of passion.

This was it. I'd lost him. And I couldn't help feeling lost too.

But was it really so surprising that he didn't want me? Could I honestly blame him for it…?

_He_ was _Jacob Black_ – the alpha of a very powerful pack of werewolves. He was hot, drop dead gorgeous, caring, sexy, funny… in other words, perfection personified! He was beautiful; inside and out – the _best_ person I'd ever known. And then there was me. Clumsy, stupid, plain old Bella who did nothing but hurt him over and over again! What could he ever see in me?

If I'd thought I was out of my depth with Edward, then I was more so with Jake. And yet, insane that I was, I had to go and fall in love with him; this magnificent creature that was completely out of my reach.

But… why hadn't he just… sent me away…? Why had he let me make such a complete fool of myself by declaring my feelings for him when he clearly didn't return them? Had I really hurt him so much in the past that now he just wanted to see me get hurt? Was this some kind of sick, twisted _revenge_…? That wasn't Jake… was it…?

God, I was so confused!

I needed to talk to someone about this… someone who wasn't as involved in this as I was… an outsider. Someone who'd be able to guide me on the inner workings of men's minds. Someone close to me; someone I trusted implicitly. And at the moment, there was only one person who fit that criterion – Dylan.

"Izzy…?" He answered groggily after a couple of rings. Uh oh. I hadn't stopped to consider what time it was. "So, I know that you must be dying to share your good news but, bloody hell, we can't all live on love honey." He teased mock grumpily. "The rest of us; lonely, loveless individuals actually need sleep to survive."

He actually thought I was calling him because I wanted to share the news that Jake and I were finally together.

I sighed despondently. God, this was such a disaster.

Even in the middle of the night; half asleep; he knew me well enough to recognize that something wasn't right. "Izzy, baby, what's wrong?" Dylan was suddenly wide awake and frantic. "Is everything alright? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine…" I hastened to reassure him. "I just… needed to talk to someone, I guess." I sighed once again. "No, that's not right. I just needed to talk to _you_."

"Okaaay… So then talk…"

"He doesn't love me." I stated bluntly.

"Who doesn't love you?" Now he sounded confused.

"Jake! _Jake_ doesn't love me, you idiot!" I was irritated at his obliviousness. "Who else would I be talking about?"

"What're you talking about sweetie…?" He questioned. "Of course he does!" He sounded totally confident.

"No he doesn't. Trust me, I would know." I replied dejectedly. "I was too late. He's moved on."

"Bella, trust me, the guy is head over heels in love with you. Anyone with half a brain in his or her head can see that." Dylan explained patiently.

"No he doesn't! Or he wouldn't have left me alone in his bed in the middle of the night after I'd just declared my undying love for him!" I spoke gloomily. "Oh and, by the way, he didn't once tell me that he loved me too. What does that tell you, huh?" I questioned miserably. "I _screwed_ up, Dylan! I shouldn't have listened to Edward. I should've trusted Jake more. And maybe that was the last straw, you know? Maybe he decided that I just wasn't worth it!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dylan interrupted my moment of self pity. "Let's back up just a bit, shall we…? Didn't you guys talk about all of that tonight?"

"Yes… of course we did! God, he was so mad at me… and he had every right to be!" I tunneled my hands through my hair. "He basically called me a selfish bitch!"

Dylan whistled. "He actually _said_ that?"

"Well… not in so many words but his meaning was unmistakable. He… he was brutal. He didn't pull any punches Dylan… he was so angry. And so hurt. God, I am a bitch, aren't I? I just keep hurting him; over and over again. No wonder he doesn't love me… or want me…" I trailed off despondently.

"That's it; I'm coming over to pick you up right now!" Dylan stated emphatically. "Then, we're gonna go wake up Lisa, get some booze and you're gonna tell us everything that happened tonight. After that, we're gonna come up with brilliantly innovative ways to make him suffer. How's that sound, eh?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Dylan! I'm fine…" I tried to sound confident but it came out all wrong. God, I really needed to get a grip on myself if I had even a snowflake's chance in hell of getting him to believe me! "No, seriously, I'm fine!" I stated more emphatically. "Or at least I will be! So, Jake doesn't love me… so what? It's not the end of the world, right? I mean, you can't choose who you love and he doesn't love me. And just like, all those years ago, he couldn't make me fall for him and choose him over Edward; I can't make him love me either. So, I'm just going to have to live with it. Hey, at least I tried, right? Now I just have to pick up the pieces of my broken heart and move on."

God, if I said it often enough, maybe I'd believe it myself but I seriously doubted it. How I was ever going to move on without Jake was beyond me. He might as well have ripped my heart out and torn it to shreds. Because this… feeling…it didn't hurt any less than that would have. I'd thought that Edward's abandonment all those years ago had hurt… which was laughable really, because that was like child's play compared to this. After all, my feelings for Jacob weren't a result of teenage infatuation like my feelings for Edward had been. They were real. And it hurt like a bitch to know that they weren't reciprocated.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and went on. "And seriously, you and Lisa don't have to worry about me going all zombie girl on you this time. I mean, I've been there and done that already and I won't put any of you through that…ever again, I promise! I won't wallow in my despair and drag everyone down with me."

Oh, who was I trying to kid? I was devastated. I was broken. I was destroyed. It'd taken me _six_ years to get over _Edward's_ betrayal! This was Jake we were talking about here – my best friend in the whole world… the person I loved with my whole heart. There wasn't a chance in hell that I would be normal…not after this. It was going to take a long, _long_ time for me to recover from this blow. But I went on stoically nonetheless, not wanting to alarm him with the real state of my feelings. "Yes, I'm having this one moment of weakness but once I leave this place I'm gonna be just fine, you'll see. In fact, this is the last time you'll ever see me crying over him. Once I leave here, I won't shed even _one_ tear over him!"

"Okay I have no idea who you're trying to convince with this bullshit, but it sure as hell isn't me! I'm coming to get you and then you and I are going to look Jacob up and I'm going to kick his ass all the way to the end of the world! I don't care if he's a supernatural freak; he's in deep, deep shit! No one hurts _my_ Izzy this way!" The love and caring in his voice soothed the hurt in my heart.

I appreciated his concern, I really did. But God, he didn't know the kind of shit I'd put Jake through in the past and I was in no mood to explain to him how I not only deserved this but much, _much_ more. Maybe someday, I would. But right now, I had to get through this disaster first…somehow.

"Oh Dylan…" I sniffled. The magnanimity of my loss was just beginning to sink in. "How the hell am I going to go on without him?" I questioned him; feeling lost.

"Don't worry baby…" He reassured me tenderly. "It'll all work out, you'll see. I'm sure there's a perfectly sound, completely reasonable explanation for Jake's disappearing act. And when he comes home the first thing he'll do is drop to his knees and declare his everlasting love for you! And then, you'll kick his ass and I'll help; just for putting you through this…" I managed a slight chuckle at his words. "In fact, I'm sure he's on his way back to you right now honey… Just don't lose faith… I promise you Izzy, this guy really loves you. And if _I_ can see that, then it must be true, right?"

So, okay, Dylan _was_ Mr. Oblivious about most things so things had to be pretty darn obvious for him to notice them, but I just couldn't see how he could be right about this. Besides, I couldn't let myself continue to have false hope. It would end up destroying me. I had to move on.

Before I could even begin to put all of that into words, I was interrupted by the sound of the doorknob being jiggled.

Jake must've come back from wherever he'd gone. A flurry of butterflies too flight in my stomach.

"Oh wait, I think Jake's back."

"I knew it!" He crowed in delight. "I knew he couldn't stay away from you for too long, Izzy. Didn't I tell you he'd be back?" He questioned smugly. "That'll teach you to doubt me…"

The door was still jiggling. _What_ was taking so long? Had Jake forgotten his keys…?

I suddenly realized that while Dylan had been busy gloating, my feet had taken me over towards the door without me having made a conscious decision to do so.

_Idiot!_ I chastised myself. Even after he'd made it amply clear that he wasn't interested in a long term relationship my heart still skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Jake again. I was just a glutton for punishment wasn't I?

I took in the fact that Dylan was still going on about something or the other. Without giving it too much thought, I gave him an absentminded excuse for not paying attention and asked him to hold on.

"Where the hell have you been Jake?" I questioned impatiently as I began to open the lock. "I've been so…" I didn't have a chance to complete my statement before the door was kicked in with brutal force. It ricocheted into me; hitting my head hard.

"Oww!" My head nearly exploded with pain. I could feel something wet and gooey and sticky flow down my forehead. Great, perfect… now I was _bleeding_! I stumbled back and sank to the floor; lightheaded; clutching my forehead in a desperate attempt to staunch the blood flow.

"_Izzy… Izzy…? Isabella! Are you okay?_" I could faintly hear Dylan on the other end of the phone; calling me anxiously.

Before I could even think of replying back to him a strange voice drawled at me from the open doorway. "Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

I blinked till my vision stabilized before focusing my attention on the person standing in front of me.

He was a tall guy; heavy set. The first thing I noticed was that he was completely bald; his scalp was glistening in the moonlight. I couldn't make out his age but he couldn't have been over thirty. His clothing was somewhat formal…and slightly out of date. There was something vaguely… sinister about him. I don't know what it was, exactly but he was giving out a strangely threatening vibe. I was paralyzed with terror.

"Wh…who are you?" I rasped out; making an effort to overcome the fear as well as the blinding pain in my forehead.

"Oh, forgive me… my name is Dunkan." He declared with a smile. Something about that smile was just… off. It was… way too… false. Slimy. Phony. Menacing. He bowed formally yet; somehow; he seemed to be mocking me with his every move.

"Wh…what do you want?" I demanded with false bravado.

"Hmm… what do I want…? Why, you, of course!" I could finally see his eyes. They were a cold, hard; unyielding grey. They were human eyes – kind of the first thing you tend to look for when you're a human stuck right in the middle of a supernatural world – but they might as well have been dead. There was absolutely no emotion in those eyes.

Unadulterated terror blazed through me; bringing a surge of adrenaline with it.

I scrambled to my feet; ignoring the dizziness as I evaluated all of my options. He was blocking the doorway, so going out was obviously out of the question. But I couldn't just stand here waiting to be assaulted. I had to do _something! _I needed to get into the house…and maybe find some sort of a weapon.

I turned around and ran blindly, hoping to get to the kitchen before he realized what was happening.

But Dunkan was too fast… too strong. His hand closed around my arm in a vise-like grip; holding me completely immobile. He manhandled me; throwing me face-first into the living room wall. Then, he placed both his arms on the wall around me, trapping me in.

I could hear a faint "Bella! _Bella!_ _Run!_" in the background. Dylan was beginning to sound frantic which wasn't surprising considering he could hear everything that was going on at my end.

Before I could utter a single word, Dunkan snatched the phone out of my hand; crushing it with his bare hand. The last sound I heard was Dylan's panic stricken shouts and then there was nothing except the sound of the phone shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces.

I shuddered as tendrils of fear ran down my spine. I didn't know who this guy was, I didn't know why he was here, I didn't know what he wanted with me but I just wanted him gone.

His other hand fisted in my hair; pulling it back viciously towards him. I bit back a scream.

He leaned in close enough for me to smell his fetid breath.

I turned away in an instinctive effort to get as far away from him as possible.

What'd been an intuitive reaction quickly came back to bite me in the ass as his slimy, repulsive tongue ran up my exposed shoulder all the way to my ear. "Mmm…" His moist breath on the shell of my ear invoked more shudders of disgust. "No one told me how pretty you are…" The wandering tongue continued its journey up my cheek.

Oh God… oh god…oh god… this wasn't happening… not to me. _Jake! Where the hell are you…?_

I choked back a sob of desperation. The sense of helplessness was horrifying.

I knew it'd probably be futile but I tried pleading with him anyway. "Please don't do this… please! Leave me alone. Please, just walk away… No one has to know anything. I won't tell… I swear. Just please, don't hurt me!"

A chilling, utterly humorless laugh escaped his lips. And _that_ was when I realized that bargaining wasn't going to get me anywhere!

I struggled hard to diffuse my mounting panic. I remembered reading somewhere once that most attackers got off on a victim's fear and desperation. Well, I wouldn't give this monster the satisfaction. And no matter how small that victory might seem in the long run, right now, it made me feel marginally in control of the situation.

I evaluated the merits of yelling my head off but quickly dismissed it realizing that at this time of the night, there'd hardly be anyone around to hear my cries. I decided to try a different approach. "Ja…Jake; my friend; will be home soon, you know. He's not someone you want to mess with…" I tried to ignore the wisps of desperation in my voice and prayed adroitly that he wouldn't notice them either.

"Don't worry about him. The Alpha's just a tad bit preoccupied right now." He declared. "And by the time he realizes something's wrong and comes back, we'll be long gone."

There was a moment of pin drop silence in which, I could've sworn my heart stopped beating altogether.

Then all hell broke loose.

I beat against his chest...begging, pleading, screaming… desperate for escape. "Let me go… Let me go!" I yelled; weeping copiously; all my carefully constructed plans about not panicking going right out the window.

He swore loudly before turning me around and backhanding me across my cheek. My head snapped back against the wall at the brute force of the blow. Stars exploded behind my closed eyelids.

"It'd be in your best interest to come with me quietly. I was told not to hurt you but if you continue this, you'll leave me with no choice!" he threatened in a low voice.

Something about his words nagged me... but I was too hysterical to pay much attention.

I renewed my struggle; pulling back and kneeing him in the groin.

He cupped himself; howling and his grip on me loosened.

I didn't waste a second; pushing him away and running full tilt into the apartment. In my haste to escape; I stumbled and crashed against the center table. It fell sideways and the glass top shattered. It made a loud commotion. I didn't even slow down to navigate my way through the minefield of glass shards. They made millions of tiny cuts in my bare feet and I could feel the blood oozing out. Thankfully, the adrenaline rush I was on made the pain seem almost negligible.

Finally, after what felt like ages, I reached the kitchen. I upended all of the drawers looking for some sort of a weapon to use against him. "Come on…come on… come on…" I sobbed frantically knowing I didn't have a lot of time till he recovered.

Just as I heard the shuffle of feet in the living room, I came across a mean looking butcher's knife. I'd barely managed to get a grip on it before his hand clamped down on my arm.

Overcome by fear, I swung around; thrusting the knife blindly. I must've nicked something because he roared in anger and pain. "You bitch!"

My moment of satisfaction was short-lived. His fist came out of nowhere, hitting me right in my stomach; winding me completely. My grip on the knife loosened as I doubled over in pain. He used my distraction to his advantage; twisting my hand painfully behind my back till it fell away completely.

As soon as it was on the ground, he kicked it away. I could only watch in powerlessly as it clattered over beneath a cabinet and completely out of reach.

Tears of helplessness and frustration seeped from my eyes.

"You're going to pay for that…" He snarled threateningly. One of his hands closed around my neck; squeezing; his grip on me tightening till it was impossible for me to breathe.

There was a maniacal gleam to his eyes. There was no doubt in my mind that he meant to kill me at that instant.

I scratched and clawed at his hand… choking… _gasping_ for air.

He had me pinned between the kitchen counter and his body and even if I tried with all my might I'd never be able to get free from him. I had to think of something else. And fast!

The lack of oxygen was getting to me. My vision was going dark. I was about to pass out.

My hands groped around behind me, looking for something…anything to use as a weapon against him.

A slow lethargy was beginning to overtake my limbs. My struggles were becoming feebler by the minute.

Oh God, if I didn't do something… he was going to kill me…or worse… rape me. I had to act… NOW!

The thought galvanized me into action. In a last desperate attempt to break free, I stretched my hands as far as they could go and came in contact with stainless steel.

The sink…of course! There _had_ to be _some_ unwashed utensils in the sink! Now if only I could get my hand on one…

Getting my second wind, I reached back; fumbling around till my hand closed around the handle of a heavy pan.

Oh thank God. I almost wept in relief.

Getting a good grip on the handle, I swung it with all my might; bringing it crashing down onto his head.

He appeared momentarily dazed. His grip slackened.

Gasping for breath, I dropped into a crouch and scurried as fast as I could towards Jake's bedroom; praying all the while that he wouldn't catch up to me before I reached my intended destination.

"Come back here, you filthy whore!" He roared.

Oh God… he was coming for me… he was coming…

Frantic gasps escaped my lips as I shut and locked the door behind me. Then I went into Jake's closet and shut that door too. I knew none of this would keep him out for too long but heck, it was better than nothing. And at least here, I was surrounded by Jake's scent. It enveloped me…giving me a sense of security; however false. I curled up in a corner behind his clothes and prayed desperately for a reprieve.

The silence was scattered by intermittent crashes. Every single one made my heart clench in fear. I don't know what he was doing out there but he wasn't going away, that was for sure.

The not knowing actually made it worse. My mind supplied me with ghastly images of him tearing down door and walls in his effort to get to me.

"Oh _Bella_…" He called in a sing-song voice. "Come out, come out wherever you are…"

Another crash sounded…this one much closer than the last one. My heart full of fear; I identified the sound for what it was… the sound of Jake's bedroom door being broken down.

Silent tears escaped my eyes. There was a growing knot of dread in my stomach that made it difficult to breathe.

"_Bella_… where _are_ you…?" Oh God, his voice sounded so much closer now. "I'm gonna find you, you know. This is a small house. There are only so many places you can hide!" He appeared to have gained control of his temper all of a sudden. He sounded… almost… cheerful. It was almost like stalking me; had put him in a better mood. "I can almost smell your fear, you know? Come on Bella…" He cajoled. "… you wouldn't want to make me upset, would you…? Come on out… I promise not to hurt you anymore." He giggled maniacally.

Oh God… he was completely _insane_.

I clapped my hand on my mouth in an effort to smother my whimpers. He was so much bigger and stronger than me. I could never hope to overpower him… not without a weapon. And I was fresh out of those at the moment. So, basically, my only chance of survival was to stay hidden. I couldn't give myself away.

I could make out the sound of him turning the bedroom upside down. There was a loud tearing noise followed by the sound of several drawers in Jake's dresser being overturned. I flinched. Then there was the sound of breaking glass. All through this, he was swearing loudly.

I knew that he was getting closer. His footsteps were really loud now.

Suddenly, without any warning, the door to the closet was pulled right off its hinges. He reached inside; grabbed a handful of my hair and dragged me out.

I screamed.

"I warned you not to make me upset, didn't I?" He growled as I struggled. "But you didn't listen. Now, be prepared to suffer the consequences."

Pain exploded in my skull as he hit me with a large paperweight.

I passed out.

I woke up with a blinding headache and with absolutely no clue about where I was or why it hurt so badly to even breathe.

"Ugghh" I groaned, checking myself for injuries. As soon as my fingers came in contact with my head I became aware of a wet, sticky residue.

Wet. Sticky. Coppery smell. Ohgodohgodohgod… Blood. It was _blood_. _MY_ blood!

I sat up quickly… too quickly as it turned out. My head spun and my stomach lurched queasily. I took a couple of deep breathes to keep the nausea at bay.

Once I was sure that I wouldn't throw up all over myself, I looked around to take stock of my situation. After being out of it for God knows how long, it took some time for my blurry vision to adjust. As it became clearer, I noticed that I wasn't surrounded by darkness…nor was it normal light. It was something in between… a greenish kind of illumination that made everything appear sickly.

As things came more and more in focus, I couldn't help but wish that I was still dreaming. It certainly seemed like something right out of a nightmare.

I was in a dark, dank place… some kind of a huge underground cavern, I think. There were multiple openings out of the cave…what appeared to be a maze of tunnels springing forth.

There were corpses…everywhere… _human_ corpses… bloody, mangled and torn. They were lying in heaps all over the cave. Their dead, unseeing eyes were staring at me blankly. The sight alone was enough to make me gag.

Then, there were the cages… filled with people. They were packed together like sardines and most of them were screaming for help. Some of them wept brokenly…some of them just stared at me with deadened, desensitized eyes.

It was horrifying.

There was the overpowering stench of death and decay everywhere. The walls were covered with grime…and gore.

I took in the scene in front of me in mute horror.

My stomach turned. Oh God, I was going to be sick. I rolled over quickly hoping to avoid being sick on myself but the sudden movement caused my head to throb until I thought I would actually pass out once again from the pain.

"Careful, little girl." A chilling voice murmured from behind my shoulder as an ice cold hand brushed down my arm.

My breath froze instantly in my throat as a sensation of intense cold pervaded all of my senses.

I twisted around instinctively and came face to face with my worst nightmare.

There _he_ was – the same unnaturally beautiful face, the same silvery blonde hair, the same stormy blue eyes…_Vladimir!_

"Oh!" I gasped, shaken at his sudden appearance.

"My darling… we meet at last!" He spoke hypnotically. "I'm sorry it was under such circumstances but your friends left me with no choice. I had just that brief window of opportunity and I took it. I hope you'll forgive me…"

My heart began thudding in my chest as I stood there frozen in fear. "This is a dream… just a dream." I murmured to myself.

"Oh no, Isabella, this is no dream. You woke up a long time ago." There was absolutely no discernible emotion in his voice or his eyes. He was cold and calculating…

"No, that's not true. You're just making me feel like this is really happening. You're just a figment of my imagination. _This_ isn't real!" I countered all the while wondering if I'd totally lost my mind since I appeared to be arguing with my own self now.

"Oh, I'm very real, trust me! As is all of this! " He declared matter-of-factly. He was now close enough that he was invading my personal space.

"Not real. Not real…" I continued with my mantra studiously ignoring his words.

A humorless smile appeared on his lips. "You just keep believing that, little girl. You'll know soon enough what the truth is."

His fingers trailed up the line of my neck, to my cheek to the wound on my forehead. He traced the spot almost lovingly, smearing his fingers with my blood. "So enticing… so tempting…" he murmured huskily before bringing the fingers to his mouth and licking them.

I swear; his eyes literally rolled back in his head. "Mmm…!" God, it almost looked as if he was getting some kind of perverse sexual pleasure out of this. When he opened his eyes, they were completely black with hunger and lust. "Splendid! Intoxicating! You're the best I've ever tasted and trust me, I've tasted plenty."

Revulsion at his words and actions ran rampant through my body yet I was determined that I wouldn't flinch or back off. He might be terrorizing my nightmares but I'd be damned if I'd give him the satisfaction of letting him know how much he really scared me.

Suddenly his expression darkened. "But you shouldn't have been harmed. I gave explicit instructions about that…" He muttered, almost to himself. "Dunkan!" he thundered.

"Ye…yes Master. You called…?" A trembling voice questioned.

It was _him_. My intruder. My tormentor. My _kidnapper_.

Although, the way he was cowering here… he almost seemed like a different person. There was none of the swagger he'd displayed earlier while he was taunting and playing with me. Here, he was meek as a lamb.

"Did I, or did I not tell you to bring her here without hurting her?" Vladimir hissed at him.

"I'm so..sorry master… bu..but…" He whimpered.

"You _disobeyed _me…?" Vladimir's voice had gone chillingly soft.

Dunkan's pleas became more and more fervent. "I… didn't mean to, master! Sh… she put up a fight! I tr..tried not to hurt her… but it couldn't be helped!"

Before I could even blink, Vladimir had flashed to his side. "Well, then, neither can this!" He sneered malevolently as his hands crept up to Dunkan's face in a parody of a loving touch.

"No please master, please… forgive me!" Dunkan wept piteously. "I'll never disobey you again, master…"

"That's right, you won't." Vladimir declared before twisting his neck brutally. There was aloud snap as his spine was severed. Then, his body crumpled down in a heap at Vladimir's feet.

I felt woozy. Dark spots danced in front of my eyes. Just as I was about to hit the floor; ice cold hands wrapped themselves around me; breaking my fall.

The sensation felt wrong somehow… disgusting even.

I shuddered involuntarily. A sound of protest escaped my lips.

Then, everything went black.

**A/N: - Once again, I sincerely apologize for the delay in posting this one. I think this is a right time to to reassure all of my readers that I'd never, ever abandon my story… EVER! I know how frustrating it is for readers to not know how a story ends and I'd never put any of you through the torture. So, even if there are any future delays in updates (because, let's face it; with the way RL can kick your ass sometimes; there might very well be future delays!); I request you to hang in there…as patiently as you can. Thank you for all of your love, support and patience. **

**So…? Tell me. Was that worth the wait…? I sure hope so. I'm a little nervous about this chapter cuz I'm not sure I handled all the action in it well enough. I'm not usually an action writer, you see. And seeing action and writing it are two totally different things, believe me! So, don't forget to let me know if I handled it well or not. **

**Now I know that the story didn't actually progress much in this one but at least now ya'll know what happened to Bella and who has her, right? So, that's a definite improvement, I should think. Next up, we'll see Jake's reaction to Bella's disappearance and the steps he takes to ensure her safe return. What will happen… dun, dun, dun…**

**It's completely up to you, how soon you come to know. Your reviews inspire me to write faster and hence it follows that the more you review, the faster the update will be. So, do your thing, people!**

**Now onto the important stuff… Thank you to my Soulmate-slash-beta-slash lemon consultant extraordinaire – Erin – for her enormous help with this one. Seriously, she's just totally brilliant… as all of you who follow her story, Coming Full Circle, already know. It was her vision and input that pulled off the attack scene, so if you liked it, don't forget to leave word for her in the review. I know I say it a lot, but I seriously mean it when I say that this chapter wouldn't have been even half of what it is without her input and guidance. So, thank you, thank you, thank you…from the bottom of my heart! You're the best beta and friend a girl can have! **

**Once again, a reminder to all of my readers – leave a review… not just for this one but for Destiny as well. What're you guys still doing here…? Go, Go, GO! Don't make me beg… or worse, YELL! LOL!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**Disclaimer: - Yeah, still not mine! What, do you **_**really**_** think I'd be sitting here writing **_**this**_** if I owned a hot, ripped, shirtless Jacob? **_**Puh-le-a-se!**_** As if! **

**A/N: - Okay, so, I know I'm late… again! And I'm honestly sorry! But, in my defense, this chapter is 44 typed pages long… 44! So, I hope you cut me some slack! **

**I know all of you are really eager to see Bella rescued. Now, before you get into this chapter, I just have to warn ya'll that this is **_**not**_** the chapter in which that happens. Sorry. As I mentioned last chapter, this is the chapter that deals with Jake's reactions to her disappearance and his efforts to rescue her. **

**I began writing this with the intention of having Jake find Bella at the end, but who knew I was so verbose…? My husband says he did, but this is certainly a wake-up call for me! Me…? Verbose…? Seriously…? LOL! Okay, fine, I'll admit it. I **_**might**_** have had a sneaking suspicion to that effect. **_**But**_**… who cares, right? Ya'll like long chapters don't you? Just… don't hate me if this chapter doesn't read like you expected it to. **

**Also, kindly keep in mind that I have an undergrad degree in Microbiology/Biotechnology. So, that's the reason I kinda got carried away. That and way too many re-runs of CSI, NCIS and Criminal Minds apparently. :P You better be glad that I didn't get carried away by Ghost Whisperer and have Lisa have a conversation with our dear, departed Dunkan! LOL! **

**Okay, right about now, I know, you're all telling me to shut the eff up, right? So, before I do just that, and let you get on with reading the chapter, let's get the usual acknowledgements out of the way. As usual, this chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF. Erin, Wendy, Ashley and Cheryl, this one's for you! Now, on to the chapter…**

**JPOV**

My heart beat a staccato rhythm in my chest…thundering much too loudly, much too fast.

The sense of helplessness I felt in this moment was alien to me… and totally debilitating.

_Goddammit! _

Bella was missing. Bella was _missing_! _Bella_ was missing!

She'd been here… in my bed; in my _arms_ just a few short hours ago and now she was just _gone_!

The devastation of my house – the broken furniture; the shards of glass lying all over; the blood – was a silent spectator to the horror she'd undergone.

Oh God… Oh my _fucking_ God…

The thought of Bella, in the hands of some creep was _killing_ me! God only knew what torment she was undergoing at the hands of that _maniac_. My gut clenched painfully at the thought.

'_Don't go there Black, don't even go there… she's fine… she'll be fine.'_

I couldn't think clearly. I couldn't function properly. Jesus, I could barely _breathe_.

Somehow – God knows how – I managed to restrain myself from tearing down all the walls in the apartment. It was nothing short of a miracle because every instinct in my body was clamoring with the need to maim, hurt, kill…_destroy_ that bastard. There was so much fury; so much rage; so much agony tearing through me that I was shocked that I'd been able to rein it in so far.

Obviously, the state of the apartment wasn't helping. Everywhere I looked; I could see signs of destruction… of a struggle. There was devastation… _everywhere_.

My keen senses picked up on the scent of her blood splattered all over the apartment.

_He'd made her bleed for heaven's sake. _

Tremors wracked my body. I wanted nothing more than to go on a mindless rampage; destroying everything in my wake.

Her tiny, bloody footprints; scattered all over my house; taunted me… mocked me with their presence; reminding me over and over again of the fact that _my_ Bella had _bled_ and _I_ hadn't been there to save her! I had _failed_!

_God_, I could smell her adrenaline… I could smell her desperation… I could smell her _fear_! I could _almost_ sense her helplessness… as if it still lingered in the air around me.

The sweat and blood she'd shed taunted me with the evidence of my failure and that alone was enough to drive me so _insane_ that I wanted to _break_ something!

But when it came down to it, nothing mattered more than Bella…so I just kept reminding myself that destroying my house even further at this moment would be akin to tampering with the evidence at a crime scene and would create a further delay in locating Bella and I couldn't allow _that_ to happen!

Besides, breaking things wouldn't get her back in my arms any sooner. So, I needed to concentrate on what would.

The one thing that kept me from losing my mind completely was the knowledge that she wasn't the only one who'd been hurt here… he'd bled too! The blood splattered all over my apartment was clearly not all hers and I couldn't help the almost _proud _feeling blooming in my chest. The thought of my Bella making _him_ bleed gave me a sense of exultant satisfaction. She was a fighter and I could only hope that she gave as good as she got.

But even that came nowhere close to erasing the thought of her plight. If I closed my eyes, I could literally see – imagine – the whole scene… the pain; the agony; the overwhelming sense of helplessness…

I tried my hardest not to close my eyes. Because, the thought of Bella; my Bella… in danger; scared, hurting; made me sick to my stomach!

So, I kept my eyes open and thought of other things… things that were all too easy to imagine and that gave me a lot of pleasure. Like how I could smell the sick bastard who'd done this to her and how I would memorize his scent and wouldn't rest till I'd found him and killed him with my bare hands.

He was ingrained into me now. There was no way in hell that I would ever forget his stench… ever! I would _breathe_ him, _live_ him; till the day I could dismember him with my own two hands!

From the moment I'd opened the door to my apartment I'd been in the grips of a cold, calculating murderous rage.

And while most of the rage was directed at myself; for letting _this_ happen – she'd been on my watch, dammit, and I should have protected her better instead of leaving her here alone and vulnerable – a large part of it was also directed at whoever it was that had her in the first place.

That sick fucker was going to die a slow, horribly painful death at my hands; there was no doubt in my mind about that. The moment I got my hands on whoever was responsible for this; I would tear him apart limb to limb. I would cut him up into tiny little pieces; starting with his balls and working my way up his body, one fucking inch at a time. I would make sure he begged for mercy… for death! Better yet, I'd make sure the bastard wished that he'd never been born!

I knew Bella's assailant was human and male… his scent gave him away… but that fact didn't change my intentions. I didn't care about his humanity. I just wanted to destroy him.

Dark, vicious thoughts swirled through me. It was becoming more and more difficult to hold on to my form… I wanted to phase so badly I was shaking and sweating like an addict in rehab.

I deliberately took several deep, cleansing breaths and I tried to focus my mind on more productive things…like assessing the facts of Bella's disappearance.

Even though I'd been unable to smell any supernatural presence in my house there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that Bella's disappearance was a result of supernatural forces.

I wasn't one to believe in coincidences.

Bella's dreams had been stalked by a supernatural entity for quite some time now – a supernatural entity hell bent on possessing her somehow. The clues were all beginning to add up. It had all begun with Charlie getting hurt; prompting Bella's return to Forks. Then, there'd been the dreams; premonitions somehow…? God, I hoped not! Then, there was the attack at my office followed by the attack at La Push. The Cullens' return. The pixie being blind. The lack of _any_ paranormal activity in our general vicinity. The destruction of the Volturi. All of this added up to a carefully orchestrated scheme to get to Bella.

A scheme that had worked beautifully; thanks to my negligence! God, how could I have let this _happen_?

I was once again trembling with poorly restrained fury.

I hated the fact that I was stuck here; waiting around; twiddling my thumbs instead of being out there searching for Bella. I wanted to do something… _anything!_

Every moment lost felt like the countdown of a time-bomb. _Tick tock…tick tock._ It was winding down to an inevitable explosion.

I could literally feel every second pass by. And it was another second that Bella was missing. Another second that she was in danger. Another second that she was in the hands of some madman! I hated that I couldn't go out and look for her.

I was chafing with the need for action but I was also starkly aware that there was nothing I could do right now. I was completely in the dark here. I had absolutely no idea who had her or where she could be. There was no way I was going to find her by just going out there blind. I needed some concrete direction… a starting point at the very least… a trail that I could follow.

And that was where my team came into the picture.

Fuck…where _were_ they? They should've been here ages ago! What was taking them _so fucking long?_

The 'team' in this case referred to the highly trained operatives we had working for us here in Seattle; not the pack; who were, of course not happy about my decision.

Despite my numerous reassurances that I was more than capable of handling matters on my own and that I'd call them the minute I had a lead worth pursuing; they'd all been more than inclined to rush here immediately. They were feeling antsy about not being here to back me up.

Their feelings were totally justified. We were a pack, a unit. Our natural instincts were geared towards working together; watching each other's backs. We were tuned into each other… our feelings and our actions aligned to each other's needs. If one of us was hurt or in danger the rest of us felt it… literally like a knife being twisted in our guts… only much worse. It was kind of like our own internal alarm system. And right now, the rest of the pack was feeling a modified, more intense form of that. Granted I wasn't actually physically hurt. But they could definitely sense my anger, agitation and anguish… and since I was their alpha the feeling was that much more magnified. So right now, the protective instincts of all the pack members were going haywire; telling them that their alpha needed them. No amount of bullshitting on my part, unfortunately, could convince them otherwise.

I couldn't exactly blame them either. I was pretty sure I'd sounded less than stable while speaking to them. Heck, I wouldn't have believed myself if I was in their place.

But; no matter how much I wanted otherwise; having the pack here wasn't an option. I just couldn't take them away from La Push; not after the attack there tonight. And I couldn't afford to lose any more time by waiting for them to secure the area either. I had to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. I _had_ to know what I was dealing with here. I _had_ to know how badly she was hurt. The pack would definitely come into play once we had some concrete leads on Bella's whereabouts. But right now, time was of the essence. I didn't even know how long she's been gone. Too much could've happened to her already; could _still_ happen; if I didn't act now. I just couldn't risk it.

So; very reluctantly and against all the clamoring instincts urging me otherwise; I'd ordered my pack-mates to stay put and called in the rest of my team here in Seattle.

Now granted; I might've gone a little overboard on this by calling almost all of my men in from their respective assignments, but this was _Bella_ we were talking about. There was no freaking way I was taking any chances with her safety!

But, Godammit, _what_ was taking them _so long_?

Right at that very moment; just as I was contemplating the need to check on their whereabouts once again; my thoughts were scattered by the sound of the elevator doors opening.

_FINALLY!_

I nearly growled in relief.

The cavalry was here.

I nearly pulled the door off its hinges in my agitation. "What the _fuck_ took you so long?" I thundered. Before they could even begin to reply to that, another fact percolated my conscious – the fact that there were too few of them there. I just about lost it right there and then. "_Where_ are the others?" I asked in an ominously controlled voice.

The fury on my face and the violent tremors running through my body belied my calm tone.

The group of rather large men walking towards my apartment took one look at me and came to an unceremonious halt; throwing uneasy glances at each other. It was immediately obvious that they weren't sure how to respond to my unusual outburst and were waging a silent battle to determine who would be unlucky enough to face my wrath.

At any other time; during any other circumstances their reactions would've been laughable really. These men were highly trained, highly experienced operatives – ex cops and Marines and Special Ops guys. They'd handled just about everything… from thieves to murderers to psychopaths even terrorists! And they'd done so without flinching. Yet here they all were; backing away from _me_.

But right now, I was too on edge to be amused.

"Well?" I roared. "Don't just stand there, you fucking morons! Answer my fucking questions!"

It was Reeve who finally bit the bullet and stepped forward meekly. "Uh…boss… it's been just fifteen minutes since you called. We…uh… got here as soon as we could…and the rest of the guys are still too far out. They're on their way. They should be here soon…" He trailed off uncertainly.

Shit! Had it really been just that long? To me it'd seemed like an interminable amount of time had passed. I took a deep breath and struggled to calm my temper.

"Okay fine… Sorry!" I attempted a sullen apology. After all, what sense was there in alienating the very same people who were here to help me? Bella's disappearance wasn't their fault. "Just, get in here…" I moderated my tone, making an effort to sound slightly less out of control than I felt.

They filtered in hesitantly; wordlessly taking in the destruction of my apartment. I turned away from them… unable to bear seeing the shock and horror on their faces. Someone… I don't know who… let out a long whistle. That was followed by the sound of an open palm smacking the back of a person's head. Then, there was a muted 'Ow…what?' followed by complete silence.

I grimaced. I could almost sense my crew walking on eggshells around me and while I appreciated their efforts I couldn't help just hoping that they'd get on with their work so that I could get on with mine!

To that end, I made a conscious effort to rein in my rioting emotions. Losing my temper – like I'd just been in danger of doing – would not help Bella right now. I needed to hold myself together for her sake.

I turned around and cleared my throat. The idle chit chat faded away and the guys turned to me; giving me their full attention. Most of them whipped out small notepads and pens; ready to note down all the important points. Old habits die hard, I guess. They were nothing if not diligent.

I picked up an old picture of Bella that I'd unearthed in the time that I'd been waiting for them to arrive and passed it around. While they were looking at it, I began briefing them on the situation at hand. "Isabella Swan; Bella; age 24, about 5'1", brown hair, brown eyes, about 110 lbs... She was taken from this apartment sometime between 2.00 am and 4.15 am tonight."

By this time, I was pacing up and down like a caged animal. My head was throbbing, my blood was pounding through my veins and my skin was crawling with impatience. It took all of my effort to display even a semblance of control over my actions or emotions.

Taking a deep breath, I began assigning their tasks in a quick fire manner. "Brad, Ethan; you're in-charge of the scene. Go over it with a fine-tooth comb and gather all the data that you can." I ordered. "Fingerprints, DNA, dust, fibers… I want it all analyzed. I want every item in this house accounted for. Even a molecule out of place and I want to know about it, understood?"

I caught the uneasy looks they were exchanging. "What?" I snapped.

"Jake, man, we don't have the necessary resources to tackle that kind of thing!" Brad explained hesitantly.

"Then get them!" I barked impatiently. As if I was going to let something so trivial get in my way. "Beg, borrow… _steal_ if you have to, just get the damn machines here and process the scene! I don't care how you do it; just get me the results asap, dammit!"

"Yes boss… whatever you want!" They exclaimed hurriedly; wisely choosing not to argue with me in my current frame of mind.

"Good! Cole, you and Matt are going to gather all the security tapes in the building for the last 24 hours. Hopefully, the person who took Bella will show up in at least one of them. We need to determine how he looks and what he was wearing. Adam, Ian, Victor and Nate; you're all going to question the neighbors. Begin with this floor; then spread out to the other floors. Reeve, Rafe, as usual, you guys are in charge of the research. I'm not really sure what that entails right now, so keep your eyes open for anything and everything. The rest of you; you're flexible between the teams. You'll assist anyone who needs your help. The same goes for the rest of the guys as and when they come in. The team leaders are free to decide who they want to work with them. I don't care about any of the details as long as you give me the results that I want."

"I also want all of you to activate your sources. I would specially appreciate any of you getting in touch with the patrol units in this area. Ask them if they've heard anything, seen anything. Tell them to keep their eyes and ears open for any kind of intel. All of you will report to me for now. As soon as you come across any new information, you come directly to me. Understood?"

Considering that I was more than fairly certain that we were dealing with a supernatural element here, I added a note of caution. "No one, I repeat, NO ONE is to pursue any leads without clearing it with me first. Is that clear?" A murmur of agreements filled the room. I wasn't entirely comforted but I was fairly confident that all of these guys had worked with me for too long and had learned more than enough; some through hard earned experience; that not every case we dealt with was necessarily something they could handle. Still, I'd be keeping all of my senses open… monitoring each and every one of their movements. Honestly, the last thing we needed at this point of time was overeager human interference.

Unable to think of anything else to add, I quickly concluded the briefing. "Questions, comments…?"

"Uh… Jake…" Adam interrupted hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Calling in our favors is all well and good, but it might just be a waste of good resources."

My blood began boiling. "_What_ does that mean?" I spoke in a deliberately measured tone. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see everyone wincing. They were all excruciatingly aware that my temper was on a very short fuse. Well good! They _should_ be scared.

"Well… uh…" Adam continued bravely. "At this point, there aren't any leads to pursue. What're we going to tell them to look out for, huh? We don't even know what the assailant looks like, much less where they are or if she's even alive!"

I snapped.

Before I knew it… before any of them could even stop me; my fingers were wrapped around Adam's throat in a chokehold and I was squeezing.

It was instinctive… the man in me losing control over my animal momentarily. Hearing him talk casually about Bella being dead… it was the last straw. That, coming on the heels of everything else I'd just endured, made me lose control – control that I'd always prided myself on. But it turns out; control wasn't so easy when every particle of your being is screaming in agony.

"She's alive dammit and don't you ever say otherwise!" I growled at him; shaking him around like a ragdoll. He coughed, gasping for breath.

A part of me was conscious of my strength in regards to his humanity but another part of me; the more animalistic part; didn't much care at the moment. All I could see was a red haze in front of my eyes. I was aware; on some level; that he was going to have bruises to show for this encounter but then, he'd had the gall to suggest that Bella might not be alive. _How dare he?_ He deserved this… and so much more! My hands were shaking so much that I was almost afraid that I would snap his neck accidentally and even that didn't seem so terrible right then.

I knew… _I knew_ that I was completely out of control but I couldn't seem to help myself. What made it worse was that I couldn't even make myself regret my actions.

"Jake…?" Reeve interjected nervously. Peripherally, I could sense all of the guys trying to pry my fingers free but I was too far gone to react rationally. "Jake!" Reeve repeated loudly when I showed no inclination of letting go. "Stop it! He can't breathe. You're choking him man. Just let go, okay? I know you don't want to hurt him… so let go!"

Thankfully, the fact that I was hurting Adam penetrated my haze and helped snap me out of my rage. I immediately let him go. He stumbled back; gasping loudly; clutching his throat. Everyone swarmed around him, inquiring about his well being.

All I could do was look on in horror. "G…God!" I stuttered, repulsed and disgusted by my actions. How could I have let this happen? I could've killed him for heaven's sake! Shit! Fuck! Shit! "Adam, you okay man?" He eyed me blankly. Fuck! I ran both my hands through my hair in desperation. "Do you need a doctor?" I asked, not sure what else to do.

"No…" He coughed out, worsening my guilt. "I'm alright…"

"You sure?" He nodded. "God, I'm sorry man! I don't know what happened! I never meant to hurt you…" I was freaking out. I couldn't bear to look him in the eye.

"I know you didn't. Don't worry about it. You're under a lot of stress. I get it. I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm sorry." He apologized.

That only succeeded in making me feel worse. "No, no… don't apologize. I'm the one who's sorry…" I trailed off.

"Jake…?" Rafe interrupted. "Look…what Adam said…? He wasn't totally off base." I threw him an irritated glance. "Whoa…whoa…" He put up his hands in surrender before I could even say anything. Yeah, apparently I'd singlehandedly managed to terrify everyone with my whole Incredible Hulk routine. My breath whooshed out of me loudly. "I'm not saying we shouldn't look for her or that she isn't alive or anything. I'm just saying that we don't have a lot of information to pass around. In fact, we have nothing concrete to pass on to our sources except for her picture."

I could once again feel the frustration mounting. Only this time, I chose to channel it in a less detrimental way. "I know that!" I thundered. "Tell me something that I don't know, dammit!" I eyed my bloody fist and the hole I'd just punched in the wall in disgust. "What the _fuck_ do you want me to do about it? I'm fresh out of ideas here… if any one of you has a better suggestion, please, tell me. I'm all ears here…" I was breathing heavily; dangerously close to losing control once again.

The guys were all eyeing each other uncomfortably. This was the first time they'd seen me behave so erratically. Usually I was the cool one… the one who they could always come to with all of their doubts. I had never before lost my temper with any of them, much less assaulted one of them. It was no wonder then that they were decidedly uncomfortable with me in this state. I decided to wind this briefing up before I scared them all off completely. "Is that all?"

Most of them were quick to agree; not that I could blame them. "Alright then, that's it for now. Work as quickly as you can. Don't forget, time is of the essence." A sense of urgency and purpose filled the room.

"Go, go go!" I muttered impatiently.

The guys hastily filed out of the room to take care of their respective assignments.

I felt much better; having finally taken some positive action instead of just brooding around.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Reeve approaching me; his face set in determined lines. Since I was the first to arrive at the scene; I knew that he'd have a lot of questions for me. That's how he operated. He'd ask me to recount all the details; sifting through my recollections for any discrepancies. The problem was I wasn't sure if my tenuous control on my emotions would outlast such intense interrogation at this moment.

Once again I steadied myself. Bella…Bella…this was for Bella. I could do this; get through this; hold onto my temper; just because I was doing it for her.

Just as he was about to ask his first question, a loud commotion broke out near the front door; interrupting him.

"Hey… you can't just barge in like that!" I could hear Rafe's agitation. "Who the hell are you guys? What do you want?"

"I'm here to see Jacob Black." A distraught female voice answered. "Is he here?"

"No, he isn't." Rafe lied instantly; knowing that I wouldn't want to be disturbed by strangers right now.

"I don't believe you!" A male voice answered. "Now let us in so we can see for ourselves!"

"No!" A scuffle broke quickly broke out; my visitors tried all the tricks up their sleeves to get in while Rafe determinedly tried to keep whoever it was from entering.

Shit! I couldn't allow anyone to come into my home right now... not in its current state of destruction. It would immediately lead to questions and suspicions…and that was the very last thing we needed right now.

I shot Reeve a concerned look before hurriedly making my way towards the door.

"Who is it Rafe?" I questioned cautiously. There was something familiar about the voice but I couldn't quite place it.

Rafe gave me a look filled with equal parts apology and relief before stepping out of the way to reveal two disheveled and irate individuals who came to a complete standstill at the sight of me.

I was equally shocked at their unexpected appearance on my doorstep. "Dylan, Lisa… what are you guys doing here? More importantly, _how_ did you get here?"

Instead of answering me, they neatly sidestepped Rafe and stomped their way towards me; nearly bristling with righteous fury. "Jacob Black… How could you?" Lisa questioned in shrill voice. Then, before I could even think up a response, she drew her hand back and slapped me with all her might.

What the fuck? I was unhurt but completely baffled.

Lisa, on the other hand, was another matter. "Ow! Jesus… OUCH! Holy crap!" She cradled her injured hand within her other palm and jumped up and down in agony. "Shit! God… are you made of steel or something? Holy freaking shit!"

Everyone converged onto her simultaneously; trying to make sure she wasn't seriously hurt. Chaos reigned supreme. And into the confusion walked Quil and Embry. I was too busy and too overwhelmed to pay much attention to their sudden and unexpected appearance. "Lisa… Lisa!" I interjected loudly hoping to catch her attention. "Are you okay? Is your hand broken?" I questioned solicitously. She shook her head mutely while giving me a bewildered look. I motioned Rafe to come closer. "Rafe, get some ice for Lisa."

"Don't worry about it man," Quil spoke up. "I'll take care of it."

Of course Quil would take care of it. But, wait a minute. What the fuck were Quil and Embry doing here when I'd specifically asked them to stay away? I remembered giving them an explicit order asking them to stay in La Push! How the fuck had they overridden my order? Had the whole fucking world gone crazy on me without me knowing about it?

I tunneled my hands through my hair helplessly; completely clueless about how to begin asking the questions that I needed to ask. But, I was determined to get to the bottom of this…the sooner the better. "No, not you Quil… I asked Rafe to take care of her and he'll do so, won't you Rafe?"

"Sure Jake." Rafe replied easily while gently herding her away.

As soon as he was gone, I straightened up to my full height and fixed both of my friends with a stern glare. "What the fuck are you guys doing here? I thought I'd made it clear that I didn't want you coming here!" I couldn't figure out how they'd managed it and I wasn't too happy about the fact either.

"Yeah, about that…" Quil mumbled while avoiding my eyes. "You never actually told _us_ not to come, did you? In fact, you never directly spoke to us at all!"

He was right. I hadn't spoken to them. I'd spoken to Sam and asked him to convey my wishes to the rest of the pack. But that shouldn't have mattered. An order was an order. They shouldn't have been able to bypass it.

Quil continued. "We were already on our way here before you even called." '_What?'_ "Dylan called us soon after Embry spoke to you about the La Push attacks; he was frantically trying to locate you and wanted to know if we had any idea where you were. He told us about the phone call with Bella. The moment we heard what had occurred, we tried calling you too and when that didn't pan out; we left for Seattle. Sam called to let us know what you wanted us to do, but since we were already more than halfway here by then, we thought it'd just be better if we continued on. We knew we had to be here!"

I growled; still not pleased that they'd ignored a direct order; causing Quil to add hastily, "Besides, your orders specifically said that we couldn't leave La Push unprotected. And we haven't! Super Leah and her merry band of followers have everything under control…" Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Embry grimace the moment Leah's name was uttered. Yeah, those two were still acting like the biggest idiots in the world; pretending to ignore each other! "They wouldn't have needed us anyway… they've got the leeches to help them too. So _technically_, we didn't disobey you. La Push and its inhabitants are completely safe."

I stared at them incredulously.

"What? Come on… you used to do this to Sam all the freaking time, man! Finding loopholes in his injunctions; making up your own damn interpretations of his orders…" Quil whined petulantly. "We're just following in our Alpha's footsteps!"

I sputtered uselessly; not really able to come up with a valid argument against that line of reasoning.

"Jake…" Embry interjected softly. "This is Bella we're talking about here. We know what she means to you, man. We knew you'd be freaking out big time. You needed us. How could we not be here?" He finished simply.

I was overwhelmed. I… God… I had the best damn friends in the whole wide world. Shit, I was in danger of embarrassing myself _and_ them by doing something stupid here… like breaking down completely. Shit! I quickly turned away.

"Tha…" my voice cracked. Fuck! Get a grip, man! I cleared my throat noisily. "Uh… thank you."

I could tell that my lack of control over my emotions was weighing heavily on my friends too. There was a moment of utter silence when I knew they were trying to gain control of their own feelings. Then they both gave me encouraging smiles and thumps on my back.

I opened by mouth to thank them, but they both shot me understanding glances. "Tell us what we can do." Embry volunteered calmly. "Yeah man, tell us what you need." Quil joined in soberly.

And that's all that needed to be said. There was no need for long speeches or declarations as far as we were concerned. I needed them and they were there. It was as simple as that, really.

Their devotion to me, their faith in me… was written all over their faces. They were my brothers in the true sense of the word – in everything but blood – and I knew that no matter what; when push came to shove; they'd always have my back. It was a humbling realization and one that made me choke up with gratitude. I took a deep shuddering breath to compose myself. "Right then…"

Dylan; who'd been eerily silent up until then; spoke up. "While this is all bloody fine and good, what I want to know right now, is where the bloody hell is Izzy, you bastard?" Shit! How was I supposed to answer that? I shot a desperate and dread filled glance towards Embry and Quil but they were both busy avoiding my glance.

"Dylan" I turned around and acknowledged his presence. "What do you want?" I questioned him resignedly.

"_What do I want?_" He cried incredulously. "Just answer my fucking question! Where the bloody hell is she?" Dylan interrupted my chain of thought.

What the hell was I supposed to say? If he wasn't aware of the situation, I couldn't very well tell him about it, could I? No, I couldn't and I didn't want to! But then, I couldn't lie either.

I decided that a cautious approach would probably be best. "She… uh… she's not here…" I trailed off and the intensity and the nature of his insults increased drastically.

"Fuck that, you asshole! I know something happened to her. I heard it! So, don't you dare lie to me! Just tell me where the hell she is before I…"

My heart stopped. My breath shortened. I didn't wait for the rest of the threat. "Wait…wait a minute! Did you just say that…?" I asked incredulously. "You _heard_ it…?"

"Yes!" He snapped.

I felt a surge of excitement. Maybe he'd heard something that'd give us a clue to her whereabouts. This could be the break we'd all been looking for.

While I was busy praying for miracles in my mind, Dylan had continued on with his rant; oblivious to the implications of his previous declaration. I stepped closer to him so that I was face to face with him. "Stop…stop" I interrupted him; shaking him urgently. "What exactly did you hear?" I questioned.

He took a deep, shaky breath – as if he needed to gather his courage before talking about it – and I steeled myself. "She called me; upset over the fact that things between you guys hadn't gone as planned. She said that she'd admitted her love for you but that you hadn't reciprocated." He accused bitterly. I cringed; overcome with guilt because I'd deliberately withheld my feelings from Bella. I'd ignored any thoughts about how much my doing so would hurt Bella. But, I certainly hadn't imagined that she'd conclude that I didn't feel the same way about her. Shit! What had I done?

"I was just consoling her; telling her how I was sure she'd just misinterpreted the situation; when the doorbell rang. She thought you'd come back from wherever you'd gone off to. So she put me hold on while she answered the door." He went silent for a couple of minutes and I could see that he was struggling to get a hold on his emotions. "I heard him break open the door." He continued in a shaky whisper. "Then I heard him toying with her… I heard her whimpers of fear… And then I heard her _scream_."

I blanched. I felt like he'd reached his hand inside me and gutted me. The pain…the _sheer pain_ ripping through me was excruciating.

Holy Mother of God… what my Bella must've gone through… I was gonna _KILL_ that motherfucker!

The tremors were stronger now and I blindly reached for a wall in the hopes that it'd help tether me to reality.

"_My God_…" It was Lisa's horrified whisper that clued me in to the fact that while Dylan had been recounting his phone conversation with Bella to me; she had managed to slip past Rafe's guard and wander into the mayhem that was my living room.

The instant he heard Lisa's voice; Dylan pushed past me and rushed inside calling out in panic, "Lisa…? Are you alright?" I threw a helpless glance at Quil and Embry who'd been unusually quiet so far. Silently urging them to do the same, I followed Dylan into the apartment. All the time, I was trying to think of some way to make this nightmare of a situation better.

The moment Dylan came across the ruins of my living room; a tortured cry; not unlike the one I'd let out when I saw it all for the first time escaped his lips. "Oh dear God, Izzy… Noooo!"

Shit! Shit! SHIT! None of this was supposed to happen. Bella wasn't supposed to be gone from right under my nose! I was supposed to protect her…with my very life! God, I'd screwed up! What the hell was I possibly going to do to make this better?

"She's gone, isn't she?" Lisa intoned heartbrokenly; interrupting my scattered thoughts. "That bastard took her, didn't he?"

"Yes…" I conceded shamefully; the words leaving a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

"Human…?" Lisa continued fearfully; seemingly reluctant to find out the answer to her question.

"Looks that way..." I was even more reluctant to elaborate. "We'll know more later."

"Is she…" At this point, her voice broke. She took a couple of moments to regain control. "Do you think she's still _alive?_"

Oh God… not this again! Why was everyone asking _that_? My body, my mind, my heart… everything in me rejected the implication outright. "No! Don't even…" I couldn't make myself go on. She wasn't dead! She couldn't be! I couldn't go on without her… I just couldn't!

With an almost inhuman effort, I smothered the panic threatening to overtake me. "Look… we're going to find her, okay? She's going to be alright. I promise you, I'm going to find her, even if it's the very last thing I ever do…" I uttered fiercely.

"Well considering the fact that you let her get taken in the first place, you'll excuse me for not believing a single word you say, right?" Dylan mocked dismissively. I cringed. "How could you let this happen?" Dylan demanded indignantly.

I was at a loss for words. What was I supposed to say anyway when I'd been asking myself the exact same thing just a little while ago?

"How the fuck could you _abandon_ her like that?" Dylan carried on. He, apparently, wasn't suffering from a loss of words at all. Nope, he had plenty of them at his disposal. "Where the hell were _you_ while _my_ best friend was going through all of this torment, huh?" The tone of accusation in his voice was unmistakable. "When she was being attacked and stalked, where the fuck were you, Jacob?" He spat out. "I'll tell you where you obviously weren't! With Bella… helping her…protecting her!" He went on, not even waiting for my response… not that I could have responded in the first place.

"Whoa now… don't you think you're being just a tad bit harsh?" Quil was quick to jump to my defense.

Unfortunately, it didn't make one bit of difference to Dylan. "Harsh…? _Harsh?_ Ha! I'm only just getting warmed up! Your _friend_ is a jerk who deserves much, much more than what I can dish out, trust me! Now just back the hell off! I'm not talking to you. This is between Jake and me."

Quil didn't take too kindly to being spoken to like that. Nor did either he or Embry appreciate Dylan's tone of voice while speaking to me. They were wolves – impulsive, aggressive and very, very protective of each other. Add to that the stress everyone was going through with Bella's disappearance and their alpha being so close to a nervous breakdown and the whole situation was volatile. I could hear the growls escaping their throats even though Dylan couldn't and it didn't bode well for his well being. I inclined my head slightly, telling my friend's to back off. That was the only thing that stopped Dylan from getting his ass kicked royally.

Dylan, unfortunately, continued with his tirade; blithely unaware of the close call he'd just had. "God, you're an asshole, you know that? And to think that I actually rooted for you!" He scoffed. "I encouraged her to come here…to confess her feelings for you! God, I was such an idiot! If only I'd stopped her, she'd have been at home… safe and sound!" There was anger in his every word, no doubt, but there was disappointment too and that hurt more than anything else. He'd… they'd all expected me to take care of Bella and I couldn't help but feel like I'd let them all down. "If something happens to my best friend, because of your actions, I'm going to rip you apart, Black! I don't care how strong you are or how indestructible. I'll find a way, I swear!"

"Nothing's going to happe…" I began tightly… trying to curb the mounting anger and helplessness. God, I wanted to hit something! The urge to lash out was almost overwhelming…

Out of nowhere; a horribly familiar, sickly sweet smell overwhelmed my senses; making me gag.

Leeches!

Before I could do much more than register the smell, I felt something hit me with the impact of a freight train.

The next thing I knew I was being propelled through the air at astonishing speed and slammed into the living room wall with enough force to create cracks in it.

Pieces of wood and saw dust rained down on me.

I tried to move away from the wall only to discover that I couldn't. Something… or rather _someone_ was holding me in place and he'd gone straight for the throat.

Within a split second, my hand was wrapped around his throat too. The reaction was instantaneous… instinctive… unplanned. "_Cullen!_" I spat out poisonously; taking in his murderous expression. "Get your fucking, filthy hands off me!"

Instead of letting go, his grip on me just tightened. "Bella" He snarled. "_**Where is she?**_"

Of course!

"You heard?" I questioned cautiously.

Almost as if my query had been a sort of tacit admission; a tortured howl escaped him. "_How could you?_"

"How could I…what…?" I asked; trying desperately to keep my cool. "What're you trying to say, _leech_?"

A menacing growl escaped him. "How could you let some creep take her; hurt her; like that?"

"_Let him…?_" I demanded furiously. "You're talking as if I stood around doing nothing, you prick! I didn't know, alright? Get that into your fucking thick skull!"

"Do you think that _absolves_ you, whelp?" He hissed, his fingers digging into the sides of my throat.

His grip was getting a little uncomfortable now; making breathing an effort. The really strange thing was; I knew that I could free myself by exerting just a minimum amount of effort but I found myself wanting _not_ to! A large part of me – the part riddled with unfathomable guilt – actually agreed with him and felt like I deserved every bit of his hatred and contempt for my negligence towards Bella.

In the background, I could hear Embry and Quil growling aggressively; just waiting for an opening to pounce. I raised my palm to indicate that I wanted them to hold back.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you leech; in fact, I'm not going to, but I really think you should let me go. I don't see how doing this right now – hurting me – makes this situation any better." I tried to inject calm rationality in my voice.

"Well, that's too bad, _mutt_; because _I_ want to hurt _you_!" He spat. So much for calm rationality…

"Edward!" Alice Cullen's shrill voice sounded behind us. "Don't! None of this is his fault!"

"YES, it is!" He roared without even turning around. There was abject terror mingled with absolute hatred reflected in his eyes. I acknowledged to myself that this was an Edward I'd never seen before; crazed and completely out of control. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for an attack.

"It _is_ your fault." He accused; his voice filled with loathing. "It's _all_ your fault! _You_ left Bella alone! You let her get taken away! How _could_ you?" He demanded in a hoarse voice.

"Edward, he honestly didn't know!" Alice spoke in a placating voice. "Do you really think he'd have left her side even for an instant if he'd known she was in danger?" My startled gaze flew to hers; amazed that she was actually defending me in this situation. If she saw my look she paid me no mind. "Look, all of us share equal blame in this. None of us took the situation seriously enough. We were overconfident! We didn't even consider that something could get past any of us! Besides, this wasn't a random attack." She continued. "It was very carefully planned and executed. Whoever took her must've clearly known that it was impossible to get to her in Forks and La Push. So, he chose Seattle. He clearly knew that she'd be the most vulnerable here. He created enough of a distraction in La Push to keep most of the pack occupied. And he made sure to draw Jake away before making his move. He knew what he was doing Edward. He fooled all of us!"

Holy shit! I'd never thought of all of this. Alice was right. Whoever it was that had Bells, he was clearly miles ahead of us. He'd thought of and executed a flawless plan; without any confrontation and none of us had even suspected that something so sinister was in the works.

"What does it matter? None of this _rationalization_ brings Bella back!" Edward roared. "And I want her back, dammit!"

"I know you do Edward…" Jasper inserted. "And we'll get her back, I promise you! But right now, just let Jacob go. Come on, brother, let him go. Nice and easy…" He coaxed.

While Alice and Jasper were doing their best to calm Edward down, I kept quiet; discreetly taking in his appearance. His hair was unkempt; his eyes – black as coal. His clothes were less than his normal perfectly matched designer brands. But what got to me the most was the agony being reflected from every inch of him… his posture, his expressions… they were all telling me that he was in tremendous pain. It was a pain borne out of loss, something that I understood only too well at the moment. Because, like it or not, the bloodsucker's pain was only a reflection of my own feelings since discovering Bella's disappearance. In a moment of true empathy, I found myself actually feeling sorry for my sworn enemy. He loved her (and I had absolutely no doubt about this) – just as much as I did – and losing her like this was as hard for him as it was for me.

"Listen, Edward…" I began sympathetically, "We're doing our level best to determine where Bella is."

"I don't want your damn sympathy!" He growled; having read my thoughts. "I just want _Bella_!"

I ignored that… I had to if I had any hope of keeping my cool. "All of our considerable resources are currently working their asses off trying to find Bella." I went on; ignoring his outburst. "I have no doubts that we'll have more on her whereabouts soon. And then, it'll only be a matter of time before we have her back home, safe and sound."

"For your sake, you better pray that you're right, because, I swear, if something happens to her, I'll destroy you… I'll destroy you all…the treaty be damned!" He threatened.

Calm down Jacob, you need to calm down. He's just upset. He doesn't really mean it…

"Yes, Jacob… do calm down." He acknowledged my thoughts mockingly. "By the way, just so you know, in all the years she was with me, I never allowed her to get hurt! I protected her! I took care of her!"

My temper soared. "_Yeah, right!_ Of course she never got hurt when she was with you. Let me see, she only got bitten by an evil vampire, what, once…? And then, there was the time when she was stalked by that red-haired bitch, but of course, that doesn't count, right? What about the time that you and your loving sister took her into the very jaws of the Volturi? Do you remember that, or have you conveniently forgotten that too? And, don't even get me started on the innumerable times she put her life in danger…all in the hopes of talking to you, you fucker! But no, that doesn't count in your book either! Oh, and I guess murdering her unborn child doesn't fall under the category of hurting her either, does it?" He blanched. A thrill of satisfaction ran through me. _'That's right, you bastard! You were more of a poison for her than I ever will be. But of course, you won't ever consider that…'_

I knew he'd heard my thoughts and that'd they'd affected him; but he made no effort to acknowledge the truth behind them. Instead he just shrugged dismissively. "The moment we get her back, I'm taking her away from here… for good." He declared condescendingly.

That's all it took for the last of my sympathy to evaporate.

I couldn't say for sure who threw the first punch, but the next thing I knew, we were both grappling each other on the floor.

"The hell you will!" I growled, landing a nice uppercut on his right cheek. A blow like that would've knocked out anyone; but the leech was barely fazed.

He came back with a vengeance, sucker-punching me right in my spleen. The blow knocked my breath right out of me.

Neither of us was concerned about holding back. It was worse than a street-side brawl; brutal, vicious and unrelenting.

Our friends were yelling at us to stop but we were both too far gone to care.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, mutt! There's no way I'm going to allow Bella to live here; where her life is clearly in so much danger. She's coming with me and that's final!"

"Oh Edward!" Alice sighed dejectedly in the background. "Why won't you ever listen?"

I ignored her. I had bigger things to deal with right now. "That's not your decision to make!" I howled, on the brink of losing my cool.

"Of course it is! Bella is my_ wife_!"

"_Ex-_wife_!_" I corrected irately.

"…and she still loves me whether she's willing to acknowledge it or not." He continued as if he hadn't heard my interruption. "She belongs with me, she always has and given time, she'll accept it too."

'_You pompous, manipulative, disgusting, vile asshole! You haven't learned anything from your mistakes! You always thought that you knew what was best for her, you arrogant prick!_' I railed at him in my mind; hoping to knock him off his self righteous pedestal.

"If you lay even one finger on her, I swear I'll…" I threatened out loud.

"You'll what, kill me…?" He scoffed. "You don't have a chance in hell, _boy_!" He added tauntingly.

"Try it, _leech_," I warned furiously, "…and I'll _annihilate_ you!"

He scoffed derisively. "She's had her fun with you, but let's face it… You and she were never going to last…" He went on.

"And why the hell not?" I growled.

"Because, she's not meant for you!" He snarled. "Even the universe knows that, otherwise you'd have imprinted on her a long time ago. She's meant to be with _me_…and she will be, for all eternity… as soon as I get her to see some sense!"

Just like that, the last of my control snapped. I couldn't help it! The goddamn bloodsucker was threatening to _turn_ her and I'd be damned if I was just going to stand by and let him threaten the life of the woman I _loved_. No chance in hell… not while I still had breath left in me!

What happened next was a little hazy. It was difficult to think through the blinding, pulsing rage… but within a matter of seconds I had Edward flat on his back while I was poised at his throat; in a perfect position to dismember him. And at that moment; I didn't have any qualms about doing so.

"Holy Crap! This isn't good… this is _soooooo_ not good!" Embry yelled; sounding completely panic stricken.

Peripherally, I could sense Alice and Jasper, trying to pull me off him; but there was no way I was going anywhere! This fucker needed to learn that Bella was mine and mine alone!

I could feel my blood boiling over. My entire being was itching with the overwhelming urge to grab a hold of the bloodsucker's head and rip it right off his neck!

"Shit! Quil, grab Dylan and Lisa and get them out of here!" The sense of urgency in Embry's voice was unmistakable.

A detached part of me could see Quil take a leaping dive towards where Dylan and Lisa stood cowering in the corner.

"You got them…?" Embry questioned Quil distractedly; his gaze focused intensely on me.

"Yeah… they're clear!"

I could see Embry unwind like a coil at the confirmation.

Then, he took a deep breath before stepping into the fray. It took all their combined strength – with Embry and Jasper pushing me off and Alice pulling Edward out of the way to get me off of him.

"Alice, Jasper; put a leash on Eddie boy!" Embry snapped out as soon as Cullen was free. "And gag him too while you're at it! I just need him to shut the _fuck up_ for a little while."

Frankly, I couldn't see why he was so worried. So fine; I was a little upset right now. But my anger shouldn't cause them so much panic, right? I wasn't going to hurt them or Dylan and Lisa or anyone except Cullen, for fuck's sake!

Okay, I admit… I could be a _little_ scary when I was angry… but nowhere enough to warrant this reaction!

Still… I tried to calm down. I really did.

But all I could see was _red_. And all I could feel was _hate_…and _rage_…and the intense need to _destroy_…

"Easy Jake, easy… take deep breaths." Embry's cautious voice seemed to come from far away. "You need to calm down, right now!" He took a couple of cautious steps in my direction; his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "Come on buddy…deep, slow breaths."

Okay… this was getting a little out of hand, right? I mean, seriously…?

But something about his mannerisms conveyed the seriousness of the situation and I followed the direction in his voice blindly taking one deep breath…then another.

"There you go. Atta boy, Jake! Now keep doing it…" Quil piped in; sounding pleased.

What the hell was going on? And why were they treating me like a freaking child?

When I opened my mouth to ask them the question; what came out of my mouth instead of the words was a piercing howl.

'_Holy fucking shit,_ _I'd phased in my own living room!_ I didn't even realize how fucked up everything was till now. I'd thought I was in control of things…

'_Yeah right! Is this your idea of control Black? Freaking shit! No wonder Embry and Quil freaked! Just thank your lucky stars that they got Bella's friends out of the way before they got hurt and that most of your team had already left! Otherwise, it would've ended up being more of a disaster than it already is! Phase back… phase back right now!' _Meanwhile, Embry and Quil were urging me to do the same.

I hadn't had this much problem transforming since my first week as a vampire slaying superhero; but after some time and a lot of intense concentration on my part; somehow; I managed.

As I lay; gasping and panting in our living room; waiting for Embry to bring me pants to replace my newly shredded ones, I couldn't help feeling intensely grateful that no one had gotten hurt in this fiasco!

"Here Jake…" Embry handed me my jeans.

"Thanks Em!" I murmured as I pulled them on hurriedly.

"You okay…?" He asked; clearly concerned.

"Yeah!" I barked. "Just keep _him_," I pointed at Cullen "…the hell away from me for now! I can't even stand to look at him!" I muttered in disgust.

Taking a deep, calming breath, I turned my attention towards the two terrified humans in the room. "Dylan, Lisa, are you both alright?" In this moment, my primary concern was for them.

"Y…ye..yeah… we're fine." Dylan stammered. His earlier bravado seemed to have deserted him completely and he was shaking like a leaf. Not that I could blame him. Knowing about our wolfy secret and having the person you're talking to suddenly morph into a giant wolf in front of you are two totally different things. And then, there was also the fact that if not for Quil and Embry quick thinking and timely interference, both of them could've gotten seriously injured in that ordeal. So, yeah… it was no wonder that both Lisa and Dylan were totally cowed. I deliberately gentled my voice further. "I'm so, so sorry you guys. I shouldn't have lost control like that. I could've seriously hurt you and I profusely apologize for putting you in danger. It won't happen again, you have my word for it."

"N… no… we understand." Lisa murmured. "In fact, we're sorry for our part in this mess. In our grief, we didn't realize that we were pushing you too far! We should've been more careful."

I gave her a tight but grateful smile. "Nah…it wasn't you, trust me!" I threw a meaningful glance towards the leech who was thankfully being restrained by Alice and Jasper. "Just be grateful that Quil and Embry were here."

"Yup!" Quil couldn't resist adding. "If not for our heroic rescue, you guys would've been wolf bait by now!"

God… I couldn't believe he was kidding about a thing like this! This was no joking matter. Someone could have been seriously hurt!

But then, that was Quil for you… immature, oblivious and totally inappropriate! I'd always secretly believed that this was the main reason Quil had imprinted on a child – because he had a fair bit of growing up to do himself!

Embry just shook his head and gave me an apologetic look. I reassured him with a glance that I wasn't going to hold Quil's lack of sensitivity against him.

Granted that Quil's sense of humor was really out of place at a time like this; and the look of terror on Dylan and Lisa's face at his statement made me want to box his ears; but to be honest, I was still feeling too insanely indebted to Quil and Embry for their interference to mete out punishments.

Right now, I was more than grateful for their presence. Everything else – including Quil's ill-timed jokes – could be ignored but what couldn't be ignored was that they had just prevented an even bigger disaster from occurring here.

Ethan, one of guys in charge of analyzing the crime scene walked into the room before I could convey my gratitude towards my best friends. "Oh, er… sorry… I didn't know you had company." I could see him eyeing my state of undress askance. Thankfully he didn't question it, because honestly, I didn't have any answers – at least none that he'd find believable. "Hi Embry, Quil…" He acknowledged their presence while throwing questioning glances at the others.

"Is there something you wanted, Ethan?" I questioned impatiently. We didn't have time for pleasantries.

"Oh yes… er… Can I talk to you guys for a minute? Alone?" He questioned discreetly. His meaning was clear. There was something he wanted to tell us but he was obviously not comfortable saying it in front of strangers.

I appreciated his discretion, but honestly; at this point, there was no point in hiding anything from any of the people present in the room. "That's okay, Ethan. We can talk right here. These people are all aware of the situation. So, what do you have for us?"

"Brad and I analyzed the blood in the house and it definitely came from two different individuals. One of them matches the blood type for Ms Swan but the other one was an AB negative; one of the rarest blood types ever seen. So, that had to come from someone else."

I'd already come to this conclusion myself anyway but it still felt good to have it confirmed. Bella hadn't been the only one hurt in the skirmish. The other guy had been hurt too! _'You go Bells!'_ Quil, Embry and I exchanged elated smiles.

"So, human…?" Embry questioned.

"Affirmative!" Ethan confirmed.

Confirmation that her assailant was human was a one of the best piece of news I'd gotten since this whole mess had begun. At least now, I knew that there was no danger of that bastard being overcome by the smell of Bella's blood and draining her dry before I had a chance to make my move. I sagged in relief. The possibility of finding Bella alive had just gone up exponentially.

"Hey, Ethan, you said the blood type was rare, right?" I clarified. "Is there any chance we can use that to identify our guy?"

"There's no chance of identifying a person based on blood type alone." He said apologetically. "Sorry."

"Then, how about DNA matches?"

"That's what I actually wanted to talk to you about. We did find some skin and hair samples and along with the blood, it should be more than enough to give us a large DNA sample of the kidnapper even after we eliminate Bella's contribution. But it would be impossible for us to process all of the evidence here, right now. We just don't have all of the equipment that we'd need to get the job done here. Most of it is back at the lab. So, Brad and I are gonna head on over to the office now. Just wanted to give you a head's up before I left though."

"Of course, Ethan." I reassured him. "You guys go ahead. And start running the data through all the known criminal databases as soon as you're done, okay?"

"Well... we don't have any direct access to any of the databases. Only the people actually involved in law enforcement can do so…like cops and federal agents…" He explained, sounding remorseful.

I immediately knew what he was asking. "No!" I exclaimed sharply. "No cops! We handle this ourselves! Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" He intoned immediately. "I have a buddy who works for the FBI and who owes me a huge favor. How about I ask him to look into it, discreetly?" He asked cautiously.

"That's fine…" I allowed reluctantly. "…as long as he has no idea of the actual situation." I added warningly. "And keep me apprised of any new developments; no matter how small."

He nodded briskly.

"Thanks man!" I gave him an encouraging slap on the back. "I really appreciate it…"

As soon as he left; Edward whirled to face me. "_Human…?_" He hissed. "You're wasting your time looking for a _human_?" He scoffed.

"All the signs point to Bella's assailant being human." I spat out. I loathed having to explain my actions and motivations to this…this parasite.

"We both know that there's more to this whole thing than the obvious, mutt!" Edward snarled. "A mere human wouldn't be able to blind Alice and you know it! I can't believe you're wasting your time looking for a human when it's pretty obvious that there's a supernatural power behind this!"

"You have a better idea, _leech_?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" He ground out impatiently. "Hunt for him – the vampire that's been haunting Bella's dreams! That's the least you can do after you lost her due to your own stupidity, don't you think?" He taunted angrily.

His words stung me… they stung a lot. "Well, I don't have the first clue where to begin my so called hunt, parasite. Do you?" I roared. His silence spoke volumes; appeasing my anger to a degree. "She could be anywhere in the whole damn state for all I know! I have to start somewhere! I'm doing the best I can with the limited information I have!" The wolf in me was clawing to be free once again and I was having a hard time resisting him… the feeling was too strong. I was barely feeling my human side. I was more wolf than man right now… God, how did the leech always succeed in bringing out the worst in me?

"Edward, quit antagonizing him!" Alice screeched, sounding impatient. "We need to be civil to each other and work together."

Edward ignored her and continued glaring at me silently.

The tension between us was still running thick. Anger was rolling off both of us in waves. I wasn't in danger of phasing again, but if the fucking parasite thought that I would be the first to back away; he was delusional!

"Jazz, help me!" Alice ordered; her voice tinged with desperation.

"I'm trying. I don't think it's working very well though. They're both just too tightly wound up…" He admitted helplessly.

Alice gave a long suffering sigh and squeezed in between us, forcing us to take a step back from each other.

She turned to me. "Jacob, please forgive my brother for behaving in this manner. I hope you understand that he still loves Bella very much and that he's understandably upset by her disappearance. I hope you also know that he means you or your friends no real harm. And he's really sorry for everything he said and did, am I right, Edward?" She chastised Edward sternly; her voice full of steely resolve. She was making it very clear to the leech that she wasn't taking no for an answer…and everyone present here could see it.

Under normal circumstance; tiny, pixie-like Alice riding roughshod over Edward fucking Cullen would've been an amusing spectacle to witness.

The leech was too enraged to be taken in by Alice's pacification. He just snarled at me and stalked away; muttering obscenities under his breath.

"Whatever…" I spat at him. "I don't really give a shit if you're sorry, bloodsucker!" I would've loved nothing better than to inflict some bodily harm right about now. It's not like it'd really hurt him anyhow and it'd also be a great way to get rid of some of my frustrations.

Unfortunately, the pixie had other ideas as far as my attitude went and she didn't hesitate to express them by directing her formidable glare towards me. "Alright Jacob, now it's your turn."

She was kidding right? Who did she think we were, wayward pre-schooler's who needed to be disciplined…? "No fucking way am I apologizing to this prick!" I scoffed deridingly.

Unfortunately for me, my defiance only caused her to turn militant. "Jacob Black, you apologize to my brother and you apologize to him right…" She gasped suddenly; her voice trailing off into complete silence. Her face contorted into a visage filled with pain and fear.

Edward reacted before anyone else. He blurred; moving to her side before we could even fathom what was going on and grasped onto her rather desperately.

What was going on?

"Alice…?" Edward breathed questioningly; shaking her instinctively. The sense of urgency in his voice was unmistakable. "Are you _sure_…?"

She snapped out of whatever trance she'd fallen into and nodded blankly; her face reflecting utter shock.

What the hell was going on here…?

"_Dear God_…" Edward mumbled. "How is that even _possible?_"

"What? _What?_ Was it a vision?" I questioned agitatedly. "Was it about Bella? What did she see?"

Neither of them answered me.

I threw a questioning look at Jasper who was scrutinizing both of them closely. He shrugged; indicating that he had no clue about what was going on either.

"I don't know…" Alice whispered disbelievingly. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before…"

"But… but… _how…?_ Edward continued rambling; almost as if he'd lost his mind. "_What is he?_ How was he able to _do_ that?"

What the fuck were they talking about?

"_Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?_" I bellowed out loud; coming to the end of my tether.

My voice was loud enough to startle them both and they looked around at all of us as if they were only just gaining awareness that they weren't alone in the room. Jasper rushed to Alice's side and she collapsed into his arms gratefully.

Alice threw a questioning glance at Edward. "Yes Alice, I saw that too." Edward responded to her unspoken question. I could clearly see that the pixie was rattled and I tried to be sensitive to that…I really did, but they were both seriously testing my patience here!

"I don't know either, but I think we should tell them anyway." Edward continued.

Tell us what? God, they were driving me insane! Their silent communication was annoying enough under normal circumstances but right now, it was enough to make me want to commit coldblooded murder! "One of you better start talking unless you want both of your asses kicked into the next era!" I threatened.

Edward threw me a withering glance before clearing his throat nervously.

"Edward…" Alice interrupted him before he could say anything. "Let me." He conceded with a slight tilt of his head. "I'm pretty sure I just had a conversation with Bella's captor." She declared matter-of-factly.

I was shocked speechless.

All around me, the room erupted in pandemonium. Alice; and to some degree Edward; were hit with a flurry of questions. Dylan, Lisa, Embry and Quil; they all wanted to know where Bella was and if she was alright. Unfortunately, they were so chaotic that neither Alice nor Edward could get a word in edgewise.

I let out a shrill whistle. Utter silence followed. "Is she alright?" I questioned softly.

"Yeah, mostly…" Alice responded.

Alright, that wasn't reassuring at all.

'_Don't think about that right now, Black. Just focus on getting her back…that's your priority for now!'_

"Tell us" I ordered.

"So, you know how I've been pretty much blind lately?"She began questioning. I nodded. "Well, just now, while talking to you, I suddenly got… _unblocked_. I got a glimpse, a vision. Only it wasn't a normal vision. Usually, I see possibilities, things that might happen in the future if you continue on your current life path. And most of those visions can change based on the decisions people make. But right now, it was like I was seeing something that was actually happening… I was just _'seeing'_ the present."

"Okay, now I'm confused." Quil inserted. "How do you distinguish between the present and the future? Isn't a vision, just that, a vision…?"

"No, this definitely wasn't the usual norm." Alice insisted firmly. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Edward nodding along; as if he agreed with her. "For one, there weren't any paths leading in other directions." Alice continued. "Just the one path. And I'm usually not a participant in most of the visions I have – just an observer. But I was most definitely a participant in this one. In fact, as I stated, Bella's captor spoke directly to me. I couldn't speak back to him yet he knew exactly what I was thinking! It was like he could read my mind… in a _vision_!" She was almost hyperventilating by this time. "That kind of thing has _never_ happened to me before!"

"So, forgive me for stating the obvious here, but don't you think that you should tell us what he said, instead of freaking out about how this is all so _new_ to _you_?" Dylan questioned; clearly peeved by Edward and Alice's attitude.

Instead of reacting to the blatant sarcasm, Alice and Edward shared a grim look.

Uh oh. I had a sudden, deep sense of foreboding. Whatever they were about to say, it wasn't going to be good.

"I think I might know where Bella is." Alice commented.

"What? Where? Why didn't you say so in the beginning?" I was with Dylan on this one… aghast that we'd spent all this time dealing with Alice's vision when we could've been out looking for Bells instead.

Every nerve in my body was humming with life. We were going to get to Bella soon…I could just feel it.

"Well, I don't know where exactly, but if I ever saw the place again, I'd definitely be able to recognize it…" She trailed off uncertainly; leaving me feeling oddly deflated.

I slid to the floor in dejection; holding my head in both my hands. Dammit! Why couldn't we have caught a break?

Once again, despair threatened to overwhelm me… but this time, it was stronger and more difficult to push back. Once again, the leeches had managed to raise my hopes and then smash them to pieces; all in the space of a couple of minutes. Un-freaking-believable! It was like they'd specialized in this kind of thing where I was concerned or something.

Slow, deep, easy breaths…

Rational thought returned, along with the awareness that someone – Embry – was questioning Alice about the details of the vampire's lair.

Good man, Embry!

She was describing the place she saw as she remembered it. "It was a huge, underground cave… with tunnels leading off into various directions. If I remember correctly, it was located on a cliff." I could see her looking at Edward questioningly; silently asking for his opinion. He nodded. "Yeah, I could definitely hear what sounded like the ocean in the background. And the path that led there went through some very thick forest."

"That's just freaking great!" Quil scoffed. "Ocean, cliffs and trees…? That could be any stretch of coastline in the whole freaking state!"

"Anything else, Alice…?" Embry continued patiently, ignoring Quil's outburst.

"No…" She sighed dejectedly. The last of the hope drained away. "Sorry I couldn't be of more… Wait!" She inserted excitedly. "I just remembered that there was this strange out-cropping of rocks near the liar's entrance. It resembled an eagle in flight."

"Holy fuck!" Quil burst out while Embry and I exchanged horrified glances. "We know that place. We patrol there all the time! It's very close to La Push!

There was a moment of silence while everyone assimilated the ramifications of this turn of events.

I was the first to shake it off. "Well, what're we waiting for?" I asked, taking charge. "We have a leech to take care of, so let's get out of here!"

"Wait, there's something else!" Alice blurted out.

"What now?" Quil groaned.

Alice opened her mouth to speak but Edward beat her to the punch. "When Alice was conversing with the vampire, he said something that you need to know before you proceed any further. He said, and I quote, 'Tell the Alpha that Isabella and I are waiting for him.'"

**A/N: - So, was that worth the wait? Let me know! Once again, I'm sorry there was no news on Bella, but I hope you weren't too disappointed with what happened instead. **

**As usual; a huge, ginormous thank you to my beta and soulmate; Erin; for all her help and support in writing this chapter. Honestly speaking, there aren't any words to convey my gratitude to her, but I hope she knows just how much her input means to me. In case you didn't already know, she's simply brilliant. Her insights into the story; into my characters definitely help make me a better writer. And then, there are the times she tolerates all of my daily bouts of insecurity and encourages me to keep going despite them. She's the best friend a girl could have and I can't begin to say that enough. I don't know where I would be without you, soulmate. Thank you for being you! **

**I would also like to thank my friend Wendy for allowing me to dump some of my writer's block anguish on her and for giving me the reader's perspective on some aspects of this chapter... especially Edward's reaction! Thanks Wen, you're a great friend! **

**And now, I'm going to have a teeny weeny rant, so I suggest you just deal with it! Alright, here goes…**

**I hope you know how much effort goes into writing, revising, editing and posting of each chapter. In case you didn't, I stay awake most nights; after my husband has gone to bed; in an effort to finish the chapter and give you an early post. Now, granted, most times, I'm not as fast as I want to be, but I really try. So, the point of all of this is that the least you could do, after I take all of that effort, is to take some time and leave me a review! There are more than 300 people following this story, but every time, I only get about an average of 30-35 reviews! Where are the rest of you, huh? How long does it take to leave a short comment? Honestly, I tried not to do this… I sincerely did. I didn't want to turn into one of those authors who threaten to withhold updates for lack of reviews but you leave me with no choice! So, this is it! No more updates till I hear back from a significant number of you because I **_**need**_** to know that it is worth it to put this much effort into something that I don't get paid for, I might add… and that someone out there appreciates my hard work! There, I'm done now! So, go ahead, write that review…**


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**Disclaimer: - Seeing as I'm no SM, the characters (minus Vlad) aren't mine. No matter how much I love and want Jake; he isn't mine either. (Sob, sob…) But the plot is. And I'm having a lot of fun playing around with the characters, fitting them said plot. But I swear to return all of them to the original owners, safe and sound as soon as I'm done playing with them. Need I say more…?**

**A/N: - Okay, so, this time… I have a good reason for being late, I swear! I'm a judge for the first ever JBNP awards and there have been tons of stories to read and judge! So, yeah… that took up a lot of my time. Well, that and the fact that my beta is a total slave-driver! LOL! OOPS… Sorry soulmate…you know I love you for it! **

**I'd like to thank all those of you who read and reviewed the last chapter…especially the anonymous reviewers. I know I was a little harsh with all of you, what with my 'gimme more reviews' rant (:P) and I really, truly appreciate that all of you were so understanding and supportive of me. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart! **

**So, I hope you guys aren't too disappointed with this chapter. I know I promised you a Jake/Bella reunion and I'm really sorry about not delivering on that promise. If it makes you feel better, this chapter was supposed to be a part of a much bigger chapter, with both a BPOV and a JPOV section. But, as you can see, the BPOV section kinda got out of hand…and the JPOV section wasn't completely finished. So, in an effort to do justice to both and to not keep any of you waiting any longer, my beta and I just decided to break the chapter into 2 sections…separating the 2 POV's. If it makes you feel any better, the JPOV is more than halfway done and I should be able to get it out to you real soon. Hope you guys keep that in mind before running for any rotten tomatoes you may have. (Ducking and hiding just in case…)**

**As usual, this chapter is dedicated to some of the best friends I've made on FF; Erin, Wendy, Ashley and Cheryl. Love you guys! **

**Warning: - Dark, disturbing themes. Definitely read at your own risk.**

**Now, let's just get on with the chapter, huh?**

**BPOV**

Even in that place between complete oblivion and wakefulness; floating as I was, in a sea of white; the cold felt wrong...

I wasn't supposed to be cold anymore. I'd given that up a long time ago, hadn't I? Yes, I was almost sure I had. And yet here I was freezing to death.

Why?

Consciousness filtered in slowly.

My roving hands encountered something cool and soft… smooth, silken to the touch. Satin sheets…? Yes! But I didn't own satin sheets, did I? I frowned; trying to concentrate harder. No, I definitely didn't own them! Which begged the question, why was I lying on them? Where was I?

A low buzzing sound penetrated the layers of fog surrounding my mind. Try as I might; I couldn't seem to focus enough to make out what it was. It sounded like a swarm of angry bees but that couldn't be it…

My mind was sluggish and unresponsive. So were my eyelids. They refused to open.

It took a lot of time and effort on my part but I finally managed to identify the persistent sound. Voices; that's what it was… Someone was _talking_.

A current of anticipation ran through me. People… there were other people here! I obviously needed help and it seemed to be readily available. Excited at the prospect, I tried calling out, but no sound escaped my lips. Ugh! My head was too woozy… my throat was too parched! I was too weak to even talk! God, this was so frustrating! What the hell was wrong with me?

And then, before I could try calling out once again, something gave me pause. An instinct; telling me that I had to keep quiet… that something wasn't quite right here. It was reminiscent to when I'd first begun hanging out with Jake and hallucinated about Edward warning me; again and again that I was in danger. Only this time, there weren't any voices talking to me…just a sick feeling in my gut. However it manifested itself, I just couldn't ignore the feeling because it'd never led me astray in the past. And this time, the feeling was stronger than it'd ever been before…

And then it struck me, like an anvil to the head! The thing that was making me so anxious about this situation. The voices…. they sounded _so_ familiar. I didn't know how or where I'd heard them before…but I had. I was sure of it!

I fought off the dizziness and concentrated harder. I could hear a female voice speaking. She sounded awfully young and yet, at the same time hard somehow… It was a strange dichotomy. And there was a strange undercurrent in her voice… I couldn't quite place it. All I knew was that it seemed _sinister_ somehow and completely incongruous in someone so young. Who _was_ she? And why did she sound so familiar? Had I met her before? Or was this all just some figment of my imagination? Could I have fallen down and hit my head…and the impact was causing me to see and hear things that weren't there? Was this uneasiness a mere byproduct of that injury? I decided to bid my time… try to figure things out; before jumping to any conclusions.

"I just need _one_ taste!" Her voice was filled with multiple overtones – heavy with yearning yet strangely calculating – and cold; so, so cold. "I'm _thirsty_ and your precious toy is bleeding!" She continued agitatedly. "The smell is _so_ intoxicating." Something about _that_ just creeped me out. "I can't think through it… I just can't! And his body is so warm still… so full of blood. You're asking us to dispose it off without letting us drain it dry. It's such a waste of good food." Now the voice turned feral and demanding. "Neither of us has fed in three days! You can't do this to us. You can't starve us like this!"

"I can and I will!" The male voice cracked like a whip; authoritative, controlling… clearly in charge. "Stay away from the girl! She's mine! No one but me will touch her!" He growled. "Is that clear?" Even through the softness, the menace was unmistakable.

Something in his voice; an unnamed power; must've conveyed itself to her. "N… no master I understand. I won't lay a finger on the girl, I swear!" She backtracked hastily. "But the traitor; he's a whole different matter altogether isn't he?" There was a sick craving in her voice. "Just let me have his blood…" She tried to cajole.

A sixth sense told me she was talking about Dunkan.

But, who was 'the girl' she was referring to…? Terror spiked through me. Were they talking about me? What was going on here? Where was I?

Before I could analyze things any further a weird chant reverberated through the air and the girl shrieked in pain.

Oh my God! Had he hit her? Was she hurt? But… but…why? God, I was so confused!

"_Never_ disobey me again!" His voice thundered with power.

"Stop master, please stop! I won't ever disobey you! I'll do exactly what you tell me to!" She begged and pleaded…her voice dripping with agony.

"You can stop now, Lilith!" The man ordered; a morbid satisfaction reflected in his voice. "I think she's learned her lesson, haven't you, my dear?" He questioned silkily.

"Yes master!" The girl screeched. "Please, _please_… make her stop!" She begged pathetically.

And just like that, the screams stopped.

Goosebumps raced down my spine.

I tried to get my thoughts in order. The smell of this place… it was just off. Musty, moldy… it smelled like death and decay. There was something sickening about it.

I tried to open my eyes once again; but a stabbing pain shot through my head causing me to clamp them shut.

"Forgive my sister." This time, it was a male voice that spoke. "The hunger is overwhelming, my lord. As she mentioned, she hasn't fed in days." His words were ingratiating but what struck me the most about his speech was the aloofness in his voice. He was pleading his sister's case. He should've been more invested in the outcome. Instead, it sounded almost like he didn't really care what happened to her.

"Well, that's not my problem, is it?" The question was asked in a silky whisper, as if the interrogator was daring them to defy him. "I thought I made it very clear that you will only be allowed to eat after you've delivered on all those promises you made me in exchange for your life!" He snapped. "But, if you need Lilith's assistance in understanding the matter too, that can certainly be arranged."

"N… no, of course not." The boy sounded cowed too.

"Right now, we have a very lopsided arrangement. I've kept up my end of the bargain by sparing your life. Yet all those lucrative promises you made me…? They're nowhere close to being fulfilled!" The voice had now turned sharp and cold…like shards of ice.

"Bu… but master… you have the girl in your possession!" The boy whimpered fearfully.

"You had nothing to do with that!" His patience seemed to be running thin. "That was _my_ plan, executed by _my_ minion!"

"Of…of course master. We're s…sorry…" I could imagine both of them cringing in the face of the pure, unadulterated fury I could hear in 'his' voice – whoever he was. "Just tell us what you want us to do. We'll do anything master. _Anything_!"

"Just get _him_ to me." He snarled ominously. "He's essential to the rest of my plan and I need him here _right now!_" I could sense him peering over me. "She should be waking up soon and if I don't have him here by then, it'll spoil the surprise, won't it?" He questioned almost conversationally. "And _that_ will make me _very_… unhappy."

"He… he'll be here master, just as we promised!" The teenagers hastened to reassure him simultaneously.

"Good…" He couldn't keep the glee out of his voice. "I'm looking forward to seeing both of you in action. I've heard so much about you. The terror; the pain; the mayhem" He sounded almost indulgent. "I can't wait to see it with my own eyes, these powers you supposedly have!"

"Gregor; you, Lucius and Christof will go with them!" he ordered someone.

"Yes master!" Three voices responded reverently.

"But master… we don't need them. We can get the job done by ourselves." The girl whined.

"I don't give a _damn_ about what you want!" Even I could sense the change that overcame him just then. His voice had taken on a frightening edge. "Just get the job done!"

"Y…yes…" She sounded terrified.

"And _don't _disappoint me!" He warned silkily.

"W..we won't." The boy answered for the both of them.

"I knew you'd be wise enough to recognize that fact. After all, you're staring at the evidence of what will be your plight if you do…" He trailed off.

By this time, my senses were screaming at me; urging me to awareness but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why.

All I knew was that, opening my eyes was easier said than done right now. My eyelids felt as if they'd been weighted down, my limbs felt as if they'd been made of lead and my head was full of cotton wool!

I felt as if I had no energy nor the will left to do anything.

I was _so_ tired…

"And remember, I want him alive… the alpha. The rest, you can do with as you please." He dismissed callously.

Wait a minute. They were talking about an alpha. Why did that term seem so familiar? I'd heard it before, but where? It felt like it was right at the edge of my consciousness… some important bit of information that I had to remember… now! But the more I tried to grasp it, the more it seemed to elude me.

Alpha… alpha… God, why couldn't my brain cooperate when I wanted it to? Alpha...

Oh yeah, I suddenly remembered. Jake was the alpha of a pack of werewolves. Huh. No wonder it sounded so familiar.

And then my brain suddenly made the connection. Oh my God… _Jake!_

Goosebumps broke out all over my body.

He _was_ talking about Jake, my Jake, wasn't he? And God, what did he mean that he wanted him alive? Wanted where? And who were these 'others' that this guy was referring to? The pack…? Oh Jesus! Something was wrong… something was very wrong. I could just feel it in my bones.

"Of course master. There will be no failure on our part. You will get who you want, soon…" They sounded as if they were falling all over themselves to please him.

A brief shuffle sounded; signifying their departure.

Dammit, why couldn't I open my eyes? Was there something wrong with me? And why couldn't I focus my thoughts? Think Bella…think, damn it!

Vaguely, I remembered being in Jake's apartment…having a nightmare…waking up…

Oh my God! Dunkan! The attack… the kidnapping… _Vladimir_… holy shit!

The sensations rushed back… the agony; the helplessness; the pain…

My eyes shot open on a burst of adrenaline.

Oh god… oh god… oh god! Please let it all have been a dream…

My prayers went unanswered. The first thing that my eyes landed on was Vladimir's cruel visage.

"So, you've finally decided to stop pretending, have you?" He asked with a knowingly cruel smirk on his face.

I flushed. "I… I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Don't you?" He questioned sardonically; leaving me with the distinct impression that I wasn't fooling him with my innocent act; that I was completely exposed and naked to his gaze… It was a highly disconcerting feeling. "Well, no matter. You will soon learn that there is nothing you can do and nowhere you can go that is hidden from me!" He declared arrogantly. "But, for now I'll just take satisfaction from the fact that you're here and that you're awake! So, tell me… how are you feeling, my love?" He touched my cheek caressingly.

His hand was ice cold; his touch repulsive...

My body reacted on auto pilot. I cringed and curled in on myself into the corner of the bed furthest from him. Even that brief movement left me feeling drained and woozy. Jesus… I was weaker than a kitten! What the hell was wrong with me?

The hardening of his eyes warned me that he wasn't at all happy with my brief act of rebellion.

A part of me cowered, thinking that he'd hurt me for my actions, just like he'd hurt Dunkan. But the other part; the part that recognized the hopelessness of my current situation; knew that 'timid' wasn't going to get me anywhere! I had to pull myself together! I had to keep my wits about me. I had to do everything in my power to escape…and barring that; to at least stay safe enough till rescue came. And I knew it'd come. It was just a matter of when… not if.

However disoriented I felt at that moment, I knew for a fact that I'd left enough clues at Jake's apartment to raise a lot of red flags. Nobody who looked at Jake's apartment would dismiss my absence as just a disappearing act. It was enough to make me feel a brief sense of pride. My actions had assured that the destruction my attacker and I had left behind would not; could not be misinterpreted. Someone; somewhere was looking for me, I was sure of it! No scratch that. Jake was looking for me. I knew that with my whole heart. I believed it. Even if he didn't love me now like he used to, he cared enough about me to look for me. God, he'd have looked for me even if I was a random girl he'd never even met before. That was just the type of man he was – responsible, honorable and dependable. And if Jake was looking for me, so was the pack. I was willing to bet my life on it. And it was just as much a guarantee that the Cullens; at least Alice and Edward were on the search party too.

All I had to do was stay alive until they found me.

"Who are you? Where am I? What do you want with me?" I questioned in an effort to stall his diabolical plans…whatever they were.

"You know who I am, Isabella!" He answered impatiently. "We've met, time and again in your dreams. I've told you who I am, what I want… And as far as where you are…this is my home. Your _future_ home…"

I ignored that last part. I had to, or I'd go crazy thinking about it. I chose instead, to address another issue that he'd raised… "What you want…?" I questioned fearfully; not really _wanting_ to hear the answer but _needing_ to hear it just the same.

"Yes, my dear. What I want. You don't think I came here randomly, do you?"

I didn't know what to think, honestly, so I chose to keep my mouth shut.

"Tell me, Isabella… what do you think I've come here for?" He asked almost playfully; clearly toying with me.  
"I… I don't know." I stammered.

"Liar!" He snapped out suddenly; the playfulness he'd displayed a few minutes ago now a thing of the past. "You know exactly what I'm here for! You! I want you, by my side!" His hand went around my throat; tightening painfully. "Don't ever pretend to forget again, Isabella. I don't like being lied to and I'm not a forgiving man. I don't want to hurt you but that doesn't mean I won't! Nothing stands in the way of what I want…absolutely nothing!"

I scratched and clawed at his hand; trying desperately to get free; but he seemed absolutely unfazed by my struggle. While I was struggling to breathe, a part of me couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't completely sane. And then, I reminded myself that he'd just implied that he wanted to kill me; turn me into a monster! His sanity was the absolute last thing I needed to worry about just then.

As suddenly as his hand had latched onto me, it let me go. Gratefully, I took in gulps of air; feeling as if someone had scraped the insides of my throat with a paring knife. Every breath hurt… horribly. The lethargy running through my veins threatened to overtake me and I struggled to hold onto consciousness.

"Oh, my darling… you don't look too well." He crooned lovingly the very next instant; his voice filled with deep concern. He blurred away from my side only to return an instant later with a cup of some vile smelling concoction. "Here, drink this. It should make you feel better." He sounded so solicitous and attentive that I was having a hard time reconciling him to the person who'd threatened me and tried to strangle me just a few moments ago.

Oh yeah… he was stark, raving mad!

The knowledge scared me to death and I vowed to be more careful with my words and actions from that point onwards.

Yet, even my strong sense of self preservation could not make me blindly consume whatever it was that he was trying to give me. "Wha… what is it?" I questioned; eyeing the concoction suspiciously. I could barely think through the haze covering my mind and the struggle to keep my eyes open was constant; but even in my weakened state, I knew that I couldn't trust him. It would be just like him to try and knock me out with drugs.

"It's a healing potion." He declared matter-of-factly.

What? A potion…? As in; a magic potion…? He was kidding, right…? I stared at him askance.

"It was brewed by my sorceress, Lilith." He motioned; indicating a slight woman standing at the edge of my vision.

I gasped; startled; having had no previous awareness of her presence.

She was slender and willowy with long, flowing black hair. Her eyes were a piercing charcoal black and she was staring at me unblinkingly; almost unseeingly. She was swathed from head to toe in bright red, flowing robes. Power emanated from her… crackling and snapping in the air around her. She was such an overwhelming presence that I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed her before.

And then, I knew…and the knowledge was like a ball of dread in my gut. I hadn't noticed her because; powerful though she was; Vladimir was much more so. I don't know how I knew it, but I knew that he was the most powerful being I'd ever encountered… much more powerful than Jake and his pack, much more powerful than the Cullens… much more powerful than the Volturi even.

I broke out in a cold sweat. Like before, he was tuned to the fine nuances of my body. "Do not fret my sweet. Neither of us will hurt you… too much." He tried to reassure me but it came out sounding more like a threat. "Unfortunately, like I told you before, some pain is essential!" There was no regret in his voice; no remorse. "But, this is not the time for pain. That will come later… much later. Right now, you have to drink this in order to recover." He thrust the cup towards me once again. "Drink!" He commanded. "Trust me; it will make you feel better."

Oh God… he was _serious_. And his expression told me that being a stark, raving lunatic aside, he actually believed everything he was saying. Jesus!

"I… uh… I'm feeling better now, thank you." I pushed the cup aside weakly.

"You're lying again Isabella." He warned dangerously forcing some of the vile liquid down my throat. I choked and coughed but I had no choice but to swallow. "I can see how you're feeling." He went on casually as if he were discussing something completely mundane, like the weather. "I know. The weakness, the lethargy, the dizziness and spotty vision. They're all symptoms of blood loss and they're common after a feeding…especially the first time. Add to that the fact that you've suffered a great shock and it's a wonder that you're still conscious." He went on.

But I'd stopped listening the moment he mentioned the feeding. He couldn't really mean what I thought he meant, could he? A dull roaring filled my ears. "You _fed _from me?" I shrieked.

His expression was answer enough.

No… no, no, no, NO! Dread twisted in my gut. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"I've been waiting for you… for more than three thousand years I've waited for you! And now that I've found you, I couldn't resist taking a small taste of you." He explained; sounding as if he wanted to make me understand; yet I knew that he didn't really care either way… nor was he even the tiniest bit remorseful for his actions.

God, did he really think any of this mattered right now? I didn't care what'd led him to do it! In fact, I didn't care for much of anything right now, except for the fact that I was going to turn into a blood sucking monster! The thought drove me a little crazy. I kicked and screamed and yelled till I had no energy left and I felt as if I was floating in air…away…away…

All the while I was conscious of the fact that my struggles had no effect on him whatsoever. In fact, they seemed to amuse him greatly if the sardonic lilt of his lips was any indication. What was even more degrading was the reality that I knew that he had to use only a portion of his strength to hold me down during my struggle and that; more than anything else; brought home the fact that I was completely helpless! There was no way I was going to overpower him or even hurt him by my actions.

Yet, still I tried… till my limbs refused to cooperate anymore and it was easier to give in to the darkness than to fight it. Finally, exasperated by my stubbornness, he snapped. "Drink, damn you!" He ordered as he tried to force some more of the liquid down my throat.

I resisted. "What's the point?" I questioned in a slurred voice. "It's not going to make any difference now!" My sorrow was all encompassing. This bastard had made me lose everyone and everything that meant something to me! What did I care if I felt terrible right now? I just wanted this ordeal over with. Then, I could figure out how I'd deal with the change. I knew I didn't want to exist in this half state, neither alive nor dead…I'd made that choice a long time ago and I still stood by it. Nor did I want to exist on blood. The only choice available right now was death.

But how? Maybe Jake or the pack would agree to put me out of my misery. Just the thought of Jake having to go through that killed me though. Because even now, through all the pain running through my body, I recognized the fact that killing me would destroy Jake… no matter how much he convinced himself that it was his duty to do so. He would hate himself for not saving me in time and a part of him would wither and die along with me. I could never allow that to happen!

Maybe the rest of the pack could do it for him…? I shuddered… fear running rampant through me.

Or maybe; Edward would do it… especially if I begged him to. Yes, that might be best. At least I'd spare Jake the horror of killing me himself.

But God; I didn't want to think about dying. Not when I'd just found a reason to live after all this time. Life was so unfair!

Later, I urged myself. Think about it later. Concentrate right now on getting through the transition. I knew what to expect from my various conversations with Edward. I knew there would be terrible pain. But wait a minute. Would this potion, whatever it was help with that? Would it make the whole ordeal less painful? I asked the question out loud. "Will it make the transition easier? Will it stop the pain?"

"Transition? You're not in transition!" He informed.

"What?" I questioned, astounded. Surely I'd misheard him. "How is that possible? You bit me, you fed from me! Isn't that what leads to the change; the venom?"

"You forgot our little chats in your dreams, my love. Your Edward, he might've been that type of vampire, but I come from a different race. Faster, stronger, far older and much more powerful… we were the original vampires until some ignorant childe polluted our race; diluted it! Edward and others like him… were the result." He clarified. "For us, every bite does not have to mean death or eternal life. We bite to feed… for _pleasure_!"

I was stunned. "So, I'm not going to become a vampire?" I whispered; hardly able to believe my luck.

"Not yet."

My heart sank again. Not yet did not give me any comfort. Not yet meant that he was still planning to turn me… just not at this very moment.

Stall… stall…

I scrambled around for the first available topic of conversation. "I don't understand… why me?" I blurted out suddenly; then realized that it was one answer that I desperately needed.

"Why you…?" He repeated sounding almost amused. "Because you're my destiny, that's why!"He declared.

"No!" My reaction was instinctive. My entire being rejected his words wholeheartedly.

"Yes!" He insisted firmly. His tone brooked no argument. "I was told about you. When I was a newborn; more than three millennia ago, I was told that I would need to seek you out; to own you, in order to achieve my goal."

Three millennia…? He'd mentioned this before but at the time, I'd been too distracted by my impending transition for the fact to register. Now, it did. Three millennia! HOLY SHIT! How old _was_ he? He certainly didn't _look_ that old. If I'd met him in a restaurant or a bar, I'd have sworn that he looked not a day older than 25! Nothing about him screamed vampire. He looked astonishingly normal (well, not exactly normal; since he looked like a GQ model with his beautiful blue eyes and his wavy blond hair) but he looked normal in all the ways that mattered. And the way he dressed… that was normal too. _Normal…?_ What the _hell_ was I thinking? God, I was losing my mind!

"What goal?" I questioned; in an effort to distract myself.

"To create a new world, of course!" He proclaimed superciliously. "I want to create a new world order in which vampires will rule… in which _I_ will rule everyone and everything. A world in which, finally, demons and other beings like me will be able to roam freely. We've had to live in the shadows for too long. Well, no more!" He sounded almost gleeful. "The world, as you know it now, will cease to exist. Humans will be aware of our presence but they will be powerless to do anything about it. They will bow to us… submit to us. They will live only to feed and serve us. It will be a glorious world, filled with blood… and death!" He went on sickeningly, completely unaware of my shock. "You'll play a major role in this… because you're special Isabella. Hasn't anybody ever told you that?"

"Special how?" I questioned brusquely, not in the mood for his games right now… not after being privy to his sadistic plans for world dominion.

"For as long as I have existed, there have been prophecies about you, my sweet. Prophecies about a human girl, in love with a vampire and a werewolf; loved by both of them in return. That itself is unheard of! What is even more unheard of, is a vampire and a werewolf; bitter, mortal enemies; uniting together to fight for the life of a human. Yet, they did. For you! That was foretold too. The girl was supposed to inspire intense love…an intense sense of protectiveness from her supernatural lovers." I was transfixed. "She was supposed to marry one; run away from the other and give birth to a half human – half vampire child. Sound familiar?" He smirked.

Jesus god… he meant Renesmee.

"Yes, I thought it might. Having that child would have resulted in you becoming one of us! And you were to have powers beyond imagining… powers that could command every living creature on this planet and beyond! You would've ruled the world. "

His eyes blazed with knowledge and power; his words making me shudder in horror. "I was waiting on the sidelines, monitoring your life; waiting for the right time to claim you as my own. Together we would have been indestructible! We would have ruled the world for all eternity. But the vampire; in his infinite short-sightedness made the mistake of killing off the offspring." His voice was brittle with cold, calculated rage. "And in turn he pushed you away! He very nearly cost me all my plans!" He spat angrily.

My heart hammered in my chest. God, I knew… I just knew that he meant to hurt Edward!

"For nearly four years, I believed that all was lost! Until, my beautiful Lilith came up with a simple but brilliant plan. And I have to admit, it was the perfect solution to all the problems plaguing me. Now, finally, after all the wait, the time to put those plans into motion has nearly come."

"What plans?" I asked hesitantly; simultaneously wanting and dreading his answer.

"I thought you'd never ask!" He exclaimed, giving me a soulless smile. "My darling Isabella, I've decided to take matters into my own hands and turn you myself! Brilliant, isn't it? I can't believe I never thought of it before. And, it works even more to my advantage."

"I… I don't understand…" I interrupted tentatively. I wasn't sure I really wanted to know what he was talking about but I figured, the more information I had regarding his plans the better. That way, I'd be able to tell Jake and the others exactly what his motives were.

Thankfully for me, Vladimir didn't seem to sense that I was probing him for information. He went on detailing his plan lovingly. "If you'd been turned by that half breed, Cullen; you'd have been like them…diseased; prone to limitations like the constant presence of venom. You could never have enjoyed a feed for the sake of it." I could see he'd given this a lot of thought. "But the biggest drawback would've been that they would no doubt have tried to turn you into someone exactly like them; someone who shunned human blood," he spat, not even trying to hide his revulsion at the concept "and who lived on that disgusting animal blood that they feed on! Human blood is what we need. It is what makes us strong, powerful. It is at the source of who and what we are; the most powerful predators in the world! The Cullens are weak because they don't understand or accept their true nature. And they would've unrepentantly led you down the same path… denying you the chance to realize your full potential!"

"But with me…" His eyes went unfocused with pleasure. "With me you will have free reign. Oh… I can just imagine you. You're going to be merciless, brutal…an angel of death! And you will be all mine!" His hands ran over my body; touching me lingeringly… intimately. "Glorious, magnificent, passionate…"

It was as if he was trying to seduce me with his words as much as with his touch and I was repulsed by both. Panic threatened to overwhelm me once again. I batted his hands away instinctively. "No, no… Don't touch me!" I screamed desperately. "I'll never become like you! I don't want to! Please, let me go!" I pleaded.

He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. He grabbed my breast brutally, his fingers digging in ruthlessly. His touch was ice cold, devoid of life and I could feel its penetrating chill even through the layers of clothes that separated his hand from my flesh. I cried out in pain; knowing that there'd be a hand sized bruise on it tomorrow. "Don't ever do that again, you whore!" He spat while his other hand bunched up my hair and pulled back viciously. He released my breast and systematically; ruthlessly began to tear off all my clothes; beginning with my sweater and ending with my panties… he ripped them all to shreds.

My whimpers of terror made no difference to him… and neither did my pleas. Now more than ever; I could see what even his model good looks couldn't disguise… the fact that he was a _monster_, a soulless _demon_!

Gasping sobs escaped me. He didn't care. I tried to gather the sheet around my body but he wouldn't even allow me that dignity.

He gave me a cold smile before violently inserting his fingers into my core. Even as I screamed; there was a part of me that understood that there was nothing sexual about the gesture. It was about exerting his dominance over me, plain and simple. It was about telling me that he had all the power…that he held my life in his hands and he could do whatever he wanted to me. It was about humiliating me…gaining my capitulation. I understood it… but that didn't make it hurt any less. And it didn't lessen the feeling of degradation.

Unfazed by my emotions, he gave me a self satisfied sneer. "Every inch of your body belongs to me now. I can do with it whatever I want. Understood?" He growled cruelly. I nodded frantically. I would've done anything to appease him at that moment… anything to get his hands off of my body. "And don't ever ask me to let you go! You're going to be my queen and we're going to rule the world together. It is our destiny and we _will _fulfill it!"

Just as suddenly as he'd grabbed me; he let me go. I collapsed back onto the bed; weeping unashamedly. My shame was so all-encompassing that I couldn't even dredge up the energy to cover up my nakedness. And honestly speaking, what was the point? Nothing he did could make me feel any worse. I had never felt so dirty, so violated in my entire life.

Oh God… If he thought that I would have anything to do with him…especially after what he'd just put me through, he was _insane_! I would rather die than succumb to him. "Never!" I exploded on a sudden burst of courage. "I'll never be with you willingly!"

"And what makes you think you have a choice in the matter?" He taunted mercilessly.

The tears just fell faster. "Oh, please…" I begged; trembling violently. "I don't _want_ to be a vampire. I want a normal life. With Jake…" I muttered softly; missing him so much at that moment that even saying his name hurt.

"Ah… the alpha, yes. I was told that you've been spending a lot of time with him lately." Something about his conversational tone set off alarm bells in my head. I curled up in a fetal position; trying to protect myself from the brunt of his anger. "I thought I'd made it rather clear that you belong to me and no one else!" His voice was slowly rising in pitch. "How dare you allow that filthy animal to put his hands all over you? How dare you allow him to defile you like that?" He roared, suddenly flying into an uncontrollable rage. In an instant, he was at my side; his features distorted into his vampire visage; fangs elongated; eyes blood red. "I warned you… I told you not to do it. I thought I'd made it clear that the consequences of going against my wishes would be dire!" He raged on. "But you did it anyway. You allowed him liberties with your body that no one but me should have. You told him you _loved_ him!" He spat.

"I could've made his death quick and painless you know…" He went on conversationally, "but you've left me no choice with your actions. Now, Jacob Black will have to pay for your sins. I'll dismember his pack; destroy his land; right in front of his eyes. I'll wipe out everyone and everything that he holds dear. I'll break his spirit; before I break his body, piece by piece till he's screaming for mercy and _your_ punishment will be to see him die a slow, torturous death at my hands!"

No, not Jake… not my Jake…Oh God, please…

He snatched me into his arms with ease; like I was nothing more than a rag doll. Very deliberately, he pressed himself against me; his body pushing me down onto the bed till he held me in a sick parody of a lover's embrace. I only had time for a half scream before he drew back and his razor sharp fangs tore brutally into the soft neck of my flesh. The pain was intense; indescribable… the feeling of being desecrated; even more so.

I gurgled helplessly as my precious life blood spilled wantonly into his mouth.

'_Jake… please stay safe. I need you!_' I pleaded in the deep recesses of my mind just before I succumbed once again; to the encroaching darkness.

**A/N: - Damn, Bella seems to be fainting a lot lately, huh? LOL! What can I say? She's going through some tough shit. But don't freak out. She _isn't_ dead. And I promise things will get better soon though. Jake isn't about to let her suffer too much longer…**

**Anyway, I have to say that I really don't like yelling at people. I felt so bad for doing so the last time. So, this time, I'm just going to say pretty please and leave it at that and hope that it works as well as the 'rant' did. So, here goes… Please review. Pretty please…?**

**Also, before I sign off, I'd like to thank my wonderful, super brilliant beta Erin for all the help she's given me on this one. She's so insistent on me giving the best that it inspires me to go that extra distance. Thank you soulmate. I wouldn't be half the writer I am without you. You keep me sane, you keep me focused and you keep me invested. Love you hun! **

**That's about it on my end people. Now, go on… do you job. Hit the blue/green button and leave your comments, even if it's just a simple "Good job". I promise to respond to each and every one of you and also… your reviews feed my muse! So, go on… inspire me…**


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**Disclaimer: - The Jacob who lives in my mind…? He's **_**mine**_**! So, hands off Meyer! You can't have him! Ha ha! Don't worry though, I'll love him and take care of him and pamper him and **_**cherish**_** him… way better than you ever did! So you can take some comfort from that. :) I'll even keep him far, **_**far**_** away from prying eyes, groping hands and dirty minds! I'll **_**treasure**_** him and I promise you, I won't even dream of using him for any kind of profit or material gain. Cross my heart…**

_**But;**_** I don't expect you to just give him away for nothing – I understand how the world of give and take works – so in exchange, I give you Vlad! See…? A character for a character, isn't that a fair trade? ;)**

**A/N: - Trust me. **

**Most of you aren't going to like the ending of this chapter. But, before you come at me with guns and knives and torches and pitchforks, I'd like to remind you that I'm a diehard J/B fan and moreover, I LOVE Jake. So, just **_**trust me**_**. **

**Other than that, I'm just going to let you draw your own conclusions. :P**

**Dedications: - This chapter is dedicated to my husband… for his incredible patience with my obsession with all things Jake. :) It is also dedicated to Erin, my soulmate and to Wendy – they are some of the best friends I've made on FF.**

**Now, on to the chapter…**

**JPOV**

The roiling mass of dread inside my gut was still very much present but now that we had an idea of Bella's whereabouts, it'd been masked behind a sense of purpose.

I was going to get Bella back dammit; even if it was the very last thing I ever did.

"So, what's the plan, Black?" The pixie's husband – Mr. 'You don't need Prozac when you have me'; questioned from the sidelines.

My startled gaze flew to his. They were actually _letting_ me take point on this? Willingly…? Like, handing it over to me on a silver platter…? It was surprising to say the least.

Not that they had much of a choice in the matter. This was _my_ operation; it always had been. But I'd never expected them to give in so readily. I'd thought I'd have a fight on my hands, getting the leeches to go along with it. Yet, here they were, giving in without so much as an argument. Damn!

Edward scowled; clearly displeased with this situation but, since he was the only one who was, I ignored him. I wasn't too pleased with him at the moment anyway. Between ignoring him and bashing his head in; I figured ignoring him would be the better option all around.

I thought back to Jasper's question. The plan…? The plan was _very_ simple. Find Bella. Rescue Bella. And then, never, ever let her out of sight again so that she'd be safe and sound forever. But I didn't say any of that out loud for various reasons. One; it'd be like stating the obvious. And two; I had a feeling that Bella would have a major problem with the 'not ever letting her out of my sight' part of the equation. Not that I could blame her if she did. She's faced this kind of treatment from the leech for a long time. And I'd always chafed at the fact that he was curtailing her freedom; her independence. Yet here I was, talking about never letting her out of my sight. Oh yeah, she'd tear me a new one if she had any inkling of my sudden turn towards the middle ages.

But, there was a vast difference between being cautious and being stiflingly overprotective! And the simple fact was I would _never_ descend to the leech's level. I wouldn't lock her away and take away her choices. I _couldn't_. When the time came; I'd find a middle ground… a way to deal with the situation in a manner acceptable to both of us. When the time came…

That time wasn't now. Now; we still had to find her.

The leech growled furiously. Having heard my thoughts, he was throwing a hissy fit at being classified as Bella's glorified jailer. Typical! He was such a textbook case for why turning a teenager into a vampire was _never_ a good idea! Imagine being rebellious, pompous, overemotional and stubborn for all eternity! Yeah, that's what Edward was – a stupid, over-sentimental, broody _crybaby_!

_That_ didn't go over too well with him either. He glowered; lending further credence to my thoughts.

I pretended to ignore him outwardly while snarling _'That's what you get for reading people's thoughts without their permission, fucker!'_ loudly in my mind. Childish though it was, I gained tremendous satisfaction from rubbing his face in his shortcomings.

Having indulged in that brief moment of juvenile immaturity, I curbed in my irritation and focused on what was important. "Is everyone okay with me taking the lead?" I questioned for the sake of clarification.

The pack members; my brother's were all eager to agree; just like I knew they would be.

The rest of the Cullen clan – including Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, who'd flown in from Alaska less than an hour ago (one of the wonders of living forever and having a mind reading son and a fortune teller daughter was that you apparently had a bottomless bank account which could be utilized to book a private jet at a moment's notice) – gave a slight nod telling me that they were willing to follow my instructions in this situation too.

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I took in the looks of fierce determination that were displayed on the faces of each and every individual around me. There was a quiet purpose in the way each one of them stood… a barely restrained violence that was a reflection of my own. I knew that each and every one of us was dying for action.

We were all gathered together in our old meeting spot – the Cullens, the pack and Bella's friends; who'd refused to be left behind – in the clearing in the woods where we'd had our practice sessions six years ago.

The sense of déjà vu was almost overwhelming. Werewolves and vampires assembled together; in an uneasy truce; clearly uncomfortable with the situation but willing to put up with each other because they were all united by a common goal – saving Bella Swan.

It was Victoria and the battle with the newborns all over again… Bella was in danger and everyone was throwing aside their personal differences in an effort to rescue her.

The pack was in full attendance; and all of them were on their best behavior… no taunting, no insults. The Cullens for their part; were behaving civilly too.

It was nothing short of a miracle… and the miracle had a name. Bella.

What was it about that girl that brought all of our protective instincts to the fore and made it possible for seemingly mortal enemies to work together with equanimity?

It wasn't just that we all loved her… although, that was a huge part of it. But what really brought us here was the sense of responsibility all of us felt towards her. She was an innocent bystander in all of this… trapped in our insanely supernatural world because we'd dragged her into it. Technically, yes… it'd been the leech's fault in the beginning. But then, we hadn't made things any easier either. If the leech had dragged her into this world; we – every single one of us present here – had kept her from leaving it. I had no doubt that if not for all of us; Bella would've been living a normal, sane, boring life with a husband and 2.5 kids right about now; not battling for her life against a psychotic, deranged undead creature! So yeah, it wasn't any wonder that all of us felt more than a little responsible for her.

"Jake?" Sam's hesitant query brought my musings to a halt. I looked around to see almost identical expressions of impatience on all of their faces.

Yes, of course… I was supposed to outline 'the plan'.

"Alright, so we know where Bella is, we know who's holding her and we know that he's – in his own words – waiting for me. So, the plan is very simple. We give him exactly what he wants; me on a platter!"

A loud chorus of curses and denials broke out, just as I knew they would. Edward and Jasper were the first to catch on to what I was saying and surprise of surprises they thought it was a good plan. The pack – Leah, Quil and Embry in particular – were predominantly vocal; and of the general consensus that Bella's disappearance had made me lose my mind completely. If I was honest with myself, they weren't too far off base. But I didn't have a death wish… at least not in the way they thought.

Unsurprisingly, a loud scuffle broke out… what with Edward actively encouraging me and my friends and brothers accusing him of trying to get rid of me. I was just grateful that they stuck to name calling and refrained from coming to actual physical blows.

"Guys." No one paid me any attention. "_Guys!_" I yelled a little louder; trying to placate everyone halfheartedly. Jesus, I was tired. Like, literally, bone deep tired. Bella's sudden disappearance, the intense ups and downs of emotions I'd gone through in the last couple of hours, combined with lack of sleep and hunger had all left me feeling drained. My heart ached with her absence; my head throbbed; I was _exhausted. _In short, I was feeling all around shitty. I was ready to have this ordeal over with. I couldn't bring myself to give a flying fuck about petty rivalries right now. I just wanted Bella back in my arms. That would be followed by a hot meal and a long bath. And then, sleep…lots of sleep; with Bella cuddled up next to me.

Edward paused in the middle of a heated argument with Paul and growled threateningly at me; having caught onto my thoughts. Yeah, he still wanted to have a pissing contest. Well, fuck that!

"Back off bloodsucker!" I snarled; sick and tired of his meddling ways. "Everyone else… just calm the _fuck_ down!" I thundered. My normally abundant supply of patience was running rather thin.

I had unknowingly used my alpha voice and the pack fell silent as if someone had cut out their vocal cords. Thankfully, the power apparent in my voice seemed to shock the Cullens mute as well and I was rewarded with blessed, pin drop silence. "No one is getting rid of anyone! I don't plan to just give myself up if that's what all of you are thinking. What I meant to say was that, stealth should be the way to go in this matter, rather than going in for an outright attack."

Tempers simmered and banked. Everyone settled down. "Go on Jacob" Carlisle encouraged kindly in the silence.

"Listen, this vamp isn't your usual run of the mill drifter. He's old, he's smart, he's strong and he's done his homework. He's managed to get past our defenses and into La Push… god knows how many times and now, he's taken Bella right out from under our very noses. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that he has a great many advantages over us."

In a quick, concise manner, I filled them in on all the new details that'd come to light tonight – the different types of vampires existing in the world; their characteristics and differences from the ones we were already familiar with; the fact that there could be 'sorcery' involved; and finally, the fate of the Volturi. Needless to say, there was stunned silence even after I was done. The Cullens especially were extremely agitated that this bloodsucker we were dealing with, this _psycho_ who had Bella had supposedly overthrown a three thousand year old regime of very gifted vampires; the very rulers of the vampire world.

"How… how is any of this even possible?" Carlisle demanded; the shock clearly displayed on his face for everyone to see. "Who _is_ this 'Vladimir'? Why haven't we heard of him before? If he's as strong and as old as you say he is, surely there must be someone from our race who's heard of him! Why is it that we know so little about him? And what kind of powers does he have that he can destroy the _Volturi_, sneak in and out from right beneath our noses, get Bella _and_ prevent Alice from seeing him?" He sounded agitated which was a first for Carlisle in my recollection.

"Honestly doc," I sighed "I don't know. And frankly, at this moment, it's not my main concern. I'm sorry, but that's just how it's gotta be for now. All I want to think about is getting Bella back home, safe and sound."

"Of course Jacob!" Carlisle spoke up immediately; profusely apologetic. "I'm sorry I allowed my personal feelings to get in the way."

"No, I understand your concern." I brushed his apology away. "Heck, I _share_ your concern! If it makes you feel any better, I already have Reeve and Rafe going through all the records; looking for him. But I'm also not going to wait around for them to find something."

"Well then, you're even more of an idiot than I'd originally thought!" Edward snapped from the sideline.

"_Excuse me?_" I questioned in a dangerously soft voice, while all around me, growls broke out.

"You heard me, mutt! I said, you're even more of an idiot than I'd originally thought you were if you don't think that finding out everything possible about this guy before we go after him is a waste of time."

"_Fuck._ _Off._" I snarled viciously; at the absolute end of my tether as far as the leech was concerned. I stalked over to him aggressively with every intention of whooping his ass soundly but to my consternation, Dylan blocked my way.

_What the fuck?_

"This isn't going to help." He muttered in way of an explanation.

Edward scoffed sardonically; as if to imply that I was the one being unreasonable.

Dylan turned to face him. "Yeah, you need to back off too, _Sparkles!_"

Several choked laughs and gasps could be heard throughout the clearing. Despite my agitation, I had a hard time keeping a straight face too. But I don't think anyone was more surprised than Edward whose face underwent a comical change as he had an apoplectic fit – well as much of an apoplectic fit as the leech could have anyway. He looked like he'd have happily strangled Dylan at that moment. It was priceless…seeing the leech's control slip like this. I decided right then and there that Dylan could flirt with Bella as much as he wanted (harmlessly, of course) as long as he gave the leech a hard time.

But apparently Dylan wasn't done with either of us which he proved by giving both Edward and me the tongue lashing of a lifetime! "We've wasted enough time listening to your stupid bickering! I don't care how much you hate each other; your fighting isn't helping Izzy! And that's what's important. So, you need to call a truce, _right now!_ You need to table this hostility till you get her back, dammit! Then, you can fight to your heart's content, okay?"

Both Edward and I were thoroughly speechless by the time he was done as were all the other people present here.

My respect for Bella's friend skyrocketed. So, yes, he had no sense of self preservation – this was the third time in two days that he'd confronted an angry werewolf or a vampire or both – but what he lacked in that area, he more than made up for in courage. Dylan O'Connor had balls of steel and I liked him…a lot.

Meanwhile, Jasper appeared deep in thought. "I'm afraid Edward's right." Jasper said, regretfully. My gaze snapped to him; the hint of danger in them still apparent. He raised both of his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, man I'm not saying we shouldn't go. I'm just saying that Edward is right in saying that it would be beyond suicidal to just walk into this guy's lair without knowing every possible detail on him." He said apologetically.

Edward threw me a triumphant look; his very expression screaming 'I told you so'.

Goddamn the bastard to hell. How I'd like to chew off pieces of him from all over his body and burn them! That wouldn't be against the treaty, right? After all, he wouldn't die from a couple of bites…just be disfigured for all eternity.

I took a couple of deep breaths just to calm down and chose to address Jasper instead of the retard. "You're right Jasper. It could be suicidal. But the alternative is to leave Bella in the clutches of that psychopath even longer while we waste valuable time gathering info and _that_ I'm not prepared to do!"

It was almost comical to watch the smug expression on the leech's face die.

'_Take that you arrogant, conceited asshole!'_

Outwardly calm, I went on. "Is it a risk to go in blind? Sure. Is it a risk I'm prepared to take? Damn right!"

"So, you want to brief us on this brilliant plan of yours?" Alice trilled, walking up beside me in a clear cut gesture of support.

Shocked as I was that she'd chosen to align herself with me against her dear beloved brother; yet again; I didn't let it distract me from my train of thought. "Well, first and foremost, we have to go on the assumption that he knows almost everything there is to know about us because let's face it; he's had months, possibly years to prepare for this. We, on the other hand are completely clueless! So, we have to use the only advantage we have at the moment."

"And that would be…?" Emmett questioned patiently.

"The element of surprise." I replied calmly. "We know this land…every nook and crevice in it. He doesn't. I say, we make him believe that he's getting what he wants; me; and when he's least prepared for it, we ambush him!" I squatted down and placed a rock on the ground. Then, I drew several 'X's around it. "This is the cave." I pointed to the rock. "Carlisle, you, Jared and Collin will form one team and you will be positioned here." I pointed out a location to the south of the cave. "Jasper, Brady, Esme and Sam will form the second team, and position themselves here." I pointed to the north. "Rosalie, Paul and Leah you will be spread out in the thicket of trees just shy of the cliffs. Emmett, Seth and Alice will be with you. All of you will stay out of sight and under the radar, so to speak. If you get too close, he'll be able to smell all of us; sense us…so we need to maintain our distance." I braced myself, because I knew that the next part of the plan was going to be met with the maximum resistance. "Once all of you are in position; and we've run a little recon around the perimeter of the lair, Edward and I will go in and he'll hand me over to Vladimir."

For a moment, there was nothing but stunned silence. And then, as expected, there were a flurry of protests, mostly from my pack.

"What?" Embry spat out.

"Absolutely not!" Sam pitched in heatedly.

"_Have you lost your freaking mind?_" Words of wisdom from Leah; our resident expert on all things insane. "You want to go into the lair of a very dangerous and sadistic leech with your mortal enemy… another bloodsucking leech, I might add…and one who is also in love with the same woman that you love?"

"Just hear me out…" I inserted before she could go on any further. "Edward will _pretend_ to hand me over to Vladimir. That way, he and I both have an in. And, with Edward there, we can easily discern his thoughts and figure out how to get Bella out safely." I stated calmly. "The moment we know she's safe, I'll phase… which will be the signal for the rest of you to move in. It'll be swift and painless. They won't know what hit them."

"Brilliant plan, mighty alpha... just brilliant!" She scoffed deridingly; apparently not convinced about the merits of my scheme.

"Look, I know it's not the best or the most sophisticated of plans, but _that_ is the reason I think it'll be successful. They won't be expecting us to just walk in there."

"Oh, _come on_ Jacob" She exclaimed agitatedly. "How the fuck do you know Eddie boy here won't throw you under the bus when the time comes so that he can have Bella for himself?"

The leech seemed to take an exception to her insinuation. "I won't do _anything_ of the sort!" He growled in an affronted tone. "I might want Bella, but I don't have to kill Jacob to get her."

"_Get_ her?" Leah snarled ferociously. "She's not some piece of property; that you can just pick up and take wherever you want, _asshole!_"

"I know that!" Edward snapped back impatiently.

"Do you?" Leah questioned sarcastically. "Because, every single time I've seen you; you've been making all her decisions for her… forcing her into things that _you_ want!"

"I do nothing of the sort! I _love_ her!" The leech answered haughtily.

"_Love?_" Leah snorted disdainfully. "You're not in love with her Edward." She mocked. "What you are is _obsessed_ with her!"

The fury that statement generated in Edward was unmistakable.

Leah definitely seemed to be pushing all of the leech's buttons and while I might have enjoyed the spectacle any other time, now was not the time to deal with our internal issues.

"That's enough Leah!" I warned sharply.

"Why? It's the truth isn't it?" Leah turned to me and demanded hotly. "And if you're planning to take this bastard with you into a situation where your very survival could depend on his actions; as your beta _and_ your friend; I think I'm justified in questioning his motives, don't you think?"

"My _motives?_" Edward voice went silky with rage. "You dare question my motives?"

"_Yes_, hotshot, _I do_! You got a _problem_ with that?" Leah demanded angrily.

"You're damn right I do! _How dare you?_ I've been nothing but…" Edward began.

"Oh, oh right… how can _I_ question _your_ motives? After all, you've been such a bloody paragon of virtue throughout your life! Pure as the driven snow! And your intentions have _always_ been honorable, haven't they? You're right. I'm _so_ sorry. What the fuck was I _thinking_?" In my opinion, the heavy sarcasm was lost on the leech. But apparently, Leah didn't agree with me… _and_ she had more to say. "Ever since you met Bella, you've been nothing but a manipulative, controlling _prick_ with your own, ulterior motives…"

Alright, this was getting us nowhere! Not that the leech didn't deserve to hear every single word of her rant, but I'd prefer it be said at a time when the woman I loved wasn't in mortal danger, _thank you very much!_

"I said, that's enough!" I yelled loudly enough to wake up the dead. "We are _not_ doing this!" I declared; my demeanor leaving them in no doubt at all that I'd kick both their asses if they didn't shut up right this very minute. "Not now…"

All the aggression seemed to drain out of Leah. "I know Jake… I know. I'm sorry!" She muttered shamefully apologetic. "I _know_ my timing sucks! I _know_ our priority is to save Bella right now and I don't know what got into me; I swear I didn't mean to cause delays. I…I just don't trust the bloodsucker and I don't want you going off with him all alone, that's all."

"Well, Jake's _not_ going to go off all alone with him anywhere," Embry spoke up out of the blue, "because I'm going with him." Just like that, all matter-of-fact. Typical Embry.

"The hell you are!" I snapped.

"_What?_" Leah blurted out simultaneously. "_No!_" She looked horrified. "Embry, it's too risky! You're not going. I won't _allow_ it!" The panic in her voice was obvious for everyone to see and it was sobering. This was Leah; bold, fearless, courageous! Not once since she'd phased had she pulled back from a fight. In fact, she was always the first one to jump into any sticky situation. The fact that she was so freaked out now was a testament to the strength of her feelings for Embry.

Utter silence. No one said a word. All eyes were trained on Embry; waiting for his reaction. And like me; I think everyone present was rooting for one of them (most likely Embry… because let's face it, he was the calmer, saner one of the two) to finally come to his or her senses and accept that they belonged together.

Embry's reaction; when it came was totally unexpected. He threw his head back and laughed... like really laughed… as if Leah had said something completely hilarious. Everyone stared at him in confusion – it was the last thing anyone expected from calm, shy, stoic, steady Embry – except Leah. She was definitely not confused. Nor was she amused. If anything, she was furious.

"What the hell is so funny?" She snarled.

"You are!" Embry stated; still chuckling occasionally.

Leah looked liked she would like nothing better than to punch Embry in the face right then. Instead, she settled on a growl.

Embry's face hardened into a blank mask but when he spoke it was as if he hadn't heard her at all. "You're priceless, you know that? You won't _allow_ me? What the hell is that? What makes you think you have the _right_ to order me around, _princess_?" He literally spat. I winced. Uh… wow. It felt wrong to be privy to this; we were obviously intruding on a private moment. The looks the pack members threw at me told me that they too were as uncomfortable with witnessing this argument as I was. "You lost that right the moment you told me to fuck off!" Embry continued heatedly. I couldn't figure out if he was completely oblivious to everyone's discomfort or if he just didn't give a damn. Either way, it wasn't a side of Embry any of us had seen very often.

A haunted expression crossed Leah's features. It was obvious that she hadn't expected an outburst of this magnitude from him either. "Embry…" She began hesitantly.

"Don't Leah,_ just don't!_" Embry barked out angrily. "You should save your breath Leah, because I _really_ don't want to hear whatever it is you have to say. Go back to _Jeremy_." He announced listlessly; having expended his rage. "Live your happy, supernatural free life!" He dismissed. "That's what you want isn't it?" He looked at her a few moments longer before he turned to me tiredly. "Come on man, let's get going."

She opened her mouth to argue but I beat her to the punch. "Leah, _my_ decision is final. You can't change my mind; I'm going. But, if it helps, Embry's not going with me, so you don't need to worry, okay?" I stated decisively; hoping to stem any further arguments on the topic.

"Oh no, man; that's where you're wrong. I _am_ going with you."Embry stated emphatically. When I turned to him in irritation; he just gave me his patented look – mule headed stubbornness barely masked by patience. (Everyone who came across Embry thought he was the perfect human being – kind, patient, understanding. As his best friend, I, of course knew better. I'd heard that perseverance was a virtue. Well, whoever said that hadn't met Embry Call…god, the man could drive anyone to insanity with his thick-headed obstinacy! Case in point, his relationship with Leah!) "Don't argue with me. You don't have the time. You need me and I'm coming." He went on… as I'd known he would.

Jesus! Stubborn though he was he was also right in this case. I _didn't_ have the time to argue with him, not now. But later was a whole different matter altogether. In fact, later I was going to _ensure_ that he got the ass-chewing of the century! And _then_, I was going to throw him and Leah into a room, lock them up and leave them there till they dealt with their problems. Or fucked each other's brains out…whichever came first! "Alright, fine! Come along if you have to, but, we have to hurry!"

He indicated that he was ready to leave immediately.

"Good. But remember, this has to be convincing, alright? Vladimir has to _believe_ that he has me at his mercy." I added. "So, you don't engage, not unless something goes horribly wrong, you got that? Our only priority is to get Bella the hell out of there; as quickly as possible! Killing the leech; hurting him isn't the main objective…not at the expense of Bella's safety. If it happens, it's a bonus. No one argues with me about this, is that understood?"

Embry and Edward grudgingly accepted.

"What about me?" Dylan spoke up. "Where do I fit into this grand plan of yours?" He questioned.

There was no hesitation, no doubt in my mind as I gave him the answer. "You and Lisa will both be as far away from this place as you can possibly be!"

"The hell I will!" He began hotly. "She's my best friend too! I'm going with…"

"No, you're not." I interrupted emphatically. This wasn't up for discussion. There wasn't going to be a compromise on this one.

He understood the steel in my words but tried to reason with me nonetheless. "Listen Jacob, I can help you. I was in the Special Forces back home before I signed up for the Reserves and attended University. I know hand-to-hand combat. And I know my way around weapons and explosives. I'm not helpless!"

Well, well, well… the insane courage made a little more sense now. It made no difference to my decision though. "I appreciate that, Dylan. But we're not dealing with your garden variety human criminal scum here. These are _vampires_ we're talking about…_**vampires**_! And they're extremely dangerous; often lethal; supernatural beings. And trust me, no matter how trained you are, there's no way you can handle their speed, strength or their brutality. So, yeah, I stand by my decision. You're…" I turned to Lisa – who'd been surprisingly silent throughout this entire discussion – as I spoke. "…both of you are going to have to sit this one out."

I made a split second decision; altering my previous plans a little. "Esme, would you mind taking Dylan, Lisa and Colin back to your house? They'll be safe there and Colin can communicate with us if something comes up." Yes, it would leave me a couple of people short, but it couldn't be helped. Bella would _kill_ me if anything happened to her friends.

"Of course Jacob." Esme acknowledged instantly. I spared her a quick smile of gratitude but I couldn't say anything else as I could already see Dylan bristling at my high-handedness.

I could understand where he was coming from… knew I'd be feeling the same if I was in his position and so, I spent precious time trying to reassure him. "Dylan," I began, "You have to trust me. I know what I'm doing here. This is my job, my duty…and I'm damned good at it. I'll get Bella back; I swear to you, I'll get her back. Right now though, you have to do what I tell you to so that I can concentrate on saving her without having to worry about you or Lisa."

I could see he still wasn't too thrilled with the idea of being babysat but thankfully he conceded graciously enough. I breathed a sigh of relief and waited while Esme and Colin led them away.

As soon as they were gone I turned to the others. "Enough chit-chat. Time for some action, don't you think?"

"Hell yeah!" Emmett yelled. "About damn time…"

The sentiment seemed to be echoed by everyone in the clearing. "Alright! Edward, Embry and I will take approximately 10-12 minutes to reach the lair. We're going to coordinate our watches. It is now 7.25 am. We'll give you a five minute lead to assume your respective positions." I ordered. "Once you're in place, stay focused; stay alert. Wait for Embry or me to phase before you attack!"

Everyone conveyed their acquiescence and the next couple of minutes were spent hashing out last minute details.

"Good luck guys!" Quil called softly once we were ready to leave. Seth and Brady echoed the sentiment.

Paul and Jared walked up me and gave me a friendly fist bump. "Don't worry brother. We have your back." They reassured me before turning to hug Embry. As far as I was concerned, the reassurance was needless. I had no doubts. I trusted them implicitly. With my life; with Bella's.

"I have _no_ desire to be Alpha ever again so don't you _dare_ die on me, Jacob!" Sam warned me gruffly; his very persona reflecting his calm competence. I held his gaze for a couple of moments and nodded; acknowledging the sentiment behind the seemingly curt words.

Leah was the only one who was completely silent. Her face was pale and drawn; her eyes filled with dread. I'd never seen her this way. She was usually one of the calmest and the most competent person I'd ever known. But, right now, she was a basket case. And it wasn't on account of me. Clearly, her feelings for Embry ran deep… deeper maybe than even she realized. Because… I knew for a fact that if she was the one going in with me, she'd be a totally different person right now.

"Em…" I inserted gently; aiming a concerned look in Leah's direction. "Maybe it's better if you stay behind."

"And miss out on the opportunity to kick some leech ass? No way man! Where's the fun in that?" He spoke with false enthusiasm while observing the pleading look in her eyes dispassionately. His own eyes were emotionless… grim even. It was almost as if he was trying to convey a message to her with that look. "Nah, Jake… it's really better if I _don't_ stay behind." He declared matter-of-factly; his gaze never wavering from hers.

For a fleeting instant; an expression of utter hopelessness crossed Leah's face. An imperceptible sheen of moisture filled her eyes. A moment later, it was all gone… replaced by a stoic nonchalance. Deliberately breaking eye contact from Embry, she walked up to me. "Be careful Jake." She said, giving me a hug.

Goddammit! These two were driving me insane! I felt like shaking some sense into them and I'd be willing to bet my left nut that I wasn't the only person here who felt that way! For a long time now, I'd entertained the thought of ordering them to make up already and put us all out of our misery but being a reasonable man and a fair alpha, I'd restrained the impulse. Now, I was regretting that decision. Right now, I had no choice but to let it go… but, I made up my mind to talk to both of them as soon as we got Bella back. "We will." I assured her, giving her a quick hug in the process. "Don't worry Leah; I'll take care of him."

She met my eyes briefly; giving me a small, grateful smile.

Then it was the Cullens turn; as they wished us good luck too.

Once that was done; the pack along with the Cullens scattered in their assigned directions. Soon, Edward, Embry and I were the only people left in the clearing. We kept close watch on the time, waiting impatiently for the allotted time period to elapse.

"Ready?" I questioned them as soon as the second hand passed the five minute mark.

"Ready" They assured me grimly.

We began running through the undergrowth; stealthily making our way to the cliffs and Vladimir's lair.

The reek came out of nowhere…a thousand decaying bodies; left too long in the sun and then stuffed to overflowing with sugary sweets. It overcame my senses; overwhelmed me.

Oh fuck! Fucking fuck! This was _not_ part of the plan! _Fuck!_

Around me, Edward and Embry came to a screeching halt as they recognized the threat too. I met Embry's eyes. Through the years, it almost seemed like the telepathy we shared while phased transcended till it was present all the time. While we couldn't actually read each other's mind in our human states, we still knew what each of us was thinking just by looking at each other. As if in synchronization; we phased simultaneously.

I looked around wildly; trying to determine where the stench emanated from but I couldn't see anything; even through my enhanced eyesight.

This was bad… this was _so_ bad.

"_Dude, where the fuck are they?"_ Embry gagged; breathing through his snout.

Shit! Shit! Fucking SHIT!

"_Anyone see anything?"_ I questioned; trying my level best to stay calm.

"_No man… nothing." _Embry answered disbelievingly.

How the hell had this happened? What the fuck were these creatures that they could sneak up on us, while a pack of ten werewolves and seven vampires had been completely oblivious to their arrival?

"_Dammit! Edward…? Can you at least hear their thoughts? Where are they? How far away? "_

"I can't hear anything!" Edward answered my unspoken question grimly.

Before I could come up with a game plan, eight other minds connected into ours simultaneously. Shit! The rest of the pack must've phased in preparation for the planned ambush. And since they hadn't expected us to be phased this soon; there was an immediate onset of confusion. Questions bombarded us from all directions. It was nothing short of chaotic.

'_Is it time…?'_ Brady began confusedly before the stench registered.

'_Jake? Embry? What the fuck…?'_ Paul wondered as the gravity of the situation slowly sank in.

'_Oh Shit!'_ Jared was quicker on the uptake.

In no time, my disquiet translated itself onto my pack. The rumblings of unease quickly grew from a mere trickle into an outright flood.

'_Hold on!'_ Leah exclaimed; urgently. _'We're on our way!'_

'_Yeah Jake, Em… hold on. We'll be there in a few…'_ Quil reiterated reassuringly.

Shit, this situation was quickly getting out of hand. I had to take charge; immediately; before everything fell spectacularly apart. _'No! Stay right where you are, all of you!'_ I barked out a quick order.

'_But…'_ Sam began; clearly at a loss.

'_Maybe they're right Jake… We should wait for backup! I mean, who knows how many of them are there you know…'_ It didn't take a genius to sense Embry's misgivings; not that he was being a sissy about it in any way. No, this was the protocol I'd drilled into them, day in and day out till they could recite it even in their sleep. 'You come by an unknown number of leeches, you _wait_ and you call for backup. You _do not_ get complacent or overconfident! You _do not_ walk into an ambush! You _do not_ go into the situation thinking that you're indestructible!' And it was a good, sound protocol that'd stood us in good stead if our years of exemplary health and safety record was anything to go by. So no, I couldn't really fault Embry for hesitating.

In fact, _I_ was the one who was breaking all the rules! But dammit, I didn't know how many leeches were out there. Embry and I didn't have a choice here, but I wasn't going to let the rest of my pack walk into a trap!

Besides, Bella was in _danger_…at the mercy… _whims_ of a madman! Now, at this point I honestly didn't care if I got hurt. But, just in case I did, I wanted the rest of the guys to be able to get her out of harm's way. For this, I needed them to be free and unhurt. I couldn't let them come here. I just couldn't! I _had_ to make sure Bella was safe. I couldn't…I wouldn't let her safety hang in the balance by letting them risk their lives for us!

'_No! No backup! We handle this ourselves!' _I spoke sharply, hoping that they all got the message loud and clear. Embry chuffed in protest. '_I mean it Em… don't make me do something that we'll both regret later!' _I snapped. He understood what I was saying and balked at the veiled threat of enforcement. None of them liked it when I forced them to obey me. Neither did I; which is why I rarely, if ever, issued an alpha command. But the fact that I didn't like it didn't mean I wouldn't do it if the situation called for it and they were all too aware of the fact. Sensing his reluctant surrender; I eased up a little bit. _'Look, you and I can handle this, no worries…'_ I reassured him confidently.

Then I addressed everyone else._ 'Do not… I repeat, do not break your positions!'_

Reluctantly, but left with no choice, they fell back.

'_Edward, Embry… keep a look out for anything out of the ordinary... I'm going to circle the clearing, see if I can catch any of them unawares.'_ I outlined the plan of action.

Before I could move a nasally, whiny, girlish voice broke out of the thicket of trees surrounding us. "Well, well, well… looks like quite a welcoming committee we have here, wouldn't you say brother?"

Edward froze as if he'd been electrified. "Jane…?" He whispered in disbelief.

"_You __**know**__ the leech, Cullen?"_ I questioned wordlessly; not even bothering to mask my disgust. _"Why am I not surprised?"_

"Yes Jacob, I do know _this_ particular vampire." Edward's tone… there was something off about it. He sounded grave. Almost scared…? But why? What did _he_ have to be worried about?

Before the leech could even begin to answer the barrage of questions in my mind, there was the gentle rustle of trees and two teenagers – a girl and a boy; both in their early teens; both vampires (and not the good kind, based on their blood red eyes) – stepped into view.

_Great! More_ teenage vamps! Didn't anyone ever think about waiting till they outgrew the dreaded teen years to turn them? I mean, seriously… who in their right minds would want to spend eternity surrounded by an overabundance of hormones and constant, never-ending drama?

I shuddered in distaste and braced myself for the inevitable theatrics.

"Hello Edward." The girl greeted emotionlessly. "How are you?"

"Jane." Edward acknowledged her presence with a courteous tilt of his head before turning towards the boy. "Alec. What are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing." The one Edward had referred to as Alec answered almost casually. "You might've heard that there was a small mishap at our home recently. We found ourselves in need of a change of scenery.

"And what better place than Forks, right?" The girl took over. "After all, your coven always seemed to be so enamored with the place." The childish enthusiasm in her voice was completely at odds with the cold malevolence in her blood red eyes.

Fuck I'd had it with the pleasantries! What was this, a fucking tea party sponsored by the Queen of England?

'_Enough!'_ I snapped. _'Quit dicking around Edward! I'd like to know who these bloodthirsty munchkins are… and preferably in this century!'_

"Forgive me…" Edward answered guardedly; without taking his eyes off the two strangers. "Jacob, meet Alec and Jane; members of the Volturi guard and Aro's prized possessions."

Volturi? What the fuck? Weren't they supposed to be all dead… er… dead'er' or whatever the vampy equivalent of destroyed was? And if they'd been destroyed weren't they supposed to be gone… for like forever? What the hell was going on?

And then, the full ramifications of our predicament sank in. Holy fucking shit! If the Volturi weren't gone; we were in an even bigger pile of shit than we'd started out in. My entire body went numb.

"Jacob Black." Jane drawled; interrupting my thoughts. "It is _such_ a pleasure to finally meet you. Alec and I have heard a lot about you, haven't we brother?" She stepped forward confidently. "Here puppy, puppy…" She murmured; actually having the audacity to extend her hand toward me as if to pet me.

'_Touch me and I'll rip your fucking hand off, leech!'_ I snarled viciously but it came out as a vicious growl. I looked towards Edward; hoping that he would have the sense to convey my aversion to her.

"I don't think it's a good idea to pet him, Jane. He doesn't take too kindly to it and is likely to bite your hand off." Edward spoke reluctantly; obviously not averse to the image of Jane without one of her arms.

"He understands what's happening even in _this_ state?" She threw an obnoxiously delighted glace at Embry and me. "Oh Edward… you do seem to have the most wonderful pets." _No fucking way!_ The bitch did _not_ just imply we were domesticated animals who belonged to the Cullens! Oh, she was going to pay for that, I'd make sure of it! "Humans and non-humans alike" She continued, unaware of my murderous thoughts.

An arrested expression came over Edward's face then. "Human?" He questioned in a faint whisper.

"Oh, did we forget to tell you that we just saw your darling Isabella?"

Fuck! I froze instantly; forgetting to even draw a breath. Embry and Edward seemed to be similarly arrested.

She smirked at all of us; clearly enjoying our dramatic reactions. "Oops, sorry!" She giggled. Sorry my ass. She wasn't sorry at all. This was all a carefully orchestrated plan to guarantee maximum impact. "How incredibly forgetful of us!" She finished with a relish.

"Where the _fuck_ is she, _you bitch_?" Edward growled; stealing the words right out of my mouth.

I chuffed in approval…for once pleased with Edward's actions.

"Oh, she's with my master." She informed carelessly. "She's fine… although, she did seem a little weak, didn't she Alec? Poor girl, probably feeling the fatigue…" The sympathy was patently false and everyone knew it. "My lord, Vladimir, wore her out. She was of course, as delightfully entertaining as always. Such a cooperative little pet, don't you think?" She pretended to question Alec while throwing a sly smirk at Edward and me as she uttered those potentially explosive sentences. It was almost like she was waiting to see how we'd react.

Oh God, oh god, oh god…

Insane though the thought drove me; I told myself to keep my cool… to ignore the implications in that statement. Bella was fine. She _had_ to be fine. I breathed deeply and reminded myself again and again that by reacting the way I wanted to; I'd be playing right into her hands, giving her exactly what she wanted. So, I waited to see what she would do next. I waited and I watched. And I hoped that she would mess up and give me the opening that I was waiting for… an opening in which I could rip her to shreds!

Edward, unfortunately; didn't seem to share my belief in waiting and watching… or my self control.

Before I could stop him he exploded into action; ramming into her thunderously. They both flew through the air at breakneck speed and slammed into the ground several hundred feet away with a loud crash. "What have you _done_ with her!" He snarled dangerously.

Embry and I tensed; our muscles bunched; ready to leap into the fray at a moment's notice. Before we could spring into action; three more figures stepped into our line of sight.

Oh Shit!

Pale, graceful, predatory… they were clearly vampires too. And yet, they weren't like any of the vampires I knew. There was clearly something different about them.

The reek! That's what it was. They didn't smell like death and sugar and bleach all combined together into one disgusting cocktail. Their stench didn't burn my nostrils. In fact, they didn't have a stench at all! They just smelled off… but not in any way like a vampire. The early morning sunlight didn't glint off their skin in muted sparkles either.

And that's when it occurred to me. Fuck, these were the guys Reeve and Rafe had told me about!

It took less than a microsecond for me to take in these discrepancies and convey my theories to Embry.

Meanwhile both Jane and Alec had convulsed into gales of malicious laughter. Apparently the idea of Edward holding either of them hostage for information was ridiculously amusing.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! You don't seem to learn from your mistakes, do you Cullen?" Alec chided; his voice dripping with mock concern. "Look behind you. Even if you weren't facing us; you'd still be hopelessly outnumbered! We'd crush you in a heartbeat! Are you really willing to _die_ for her? _Why?_ She _left_ you and yet you continue to care for her. Aro was obsessed with her too, you know. Demitri and Felix both wanted to possess her. Hmmm… I wonder what it is about her…" He spoke almost to himself, his tone rife with curiosity.

"Never mind that!" Jane snapped. "Let's talk about this, shall we?" She questioned; indicating the fact that Edward had her body pinned to the ground. "You attack us, knowing full well that we are far stronger, far more powerful than you'll ever be. If that's not stupidity; I don't know what is! But then, you were always a little stupid where Isabella was concerned, weren't you?" She ridiculed. "Why don't you let me go Edward and we'll forget this ever happened." She cajoled softly; swiftly switching tacks.

"Hell no!" Edward answered instantly. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me what you've done with Bella!"

She sighed; as if dealing with a wayward child. I couldn't help thinking that her reaction was _disturbing_; more so because in the current scenario, she was the 'child'. But this was not the time to be thinking about such things. My mind briefly jumped to the fact that neither Jane nor Alec seemed to be too worried about the stronghold Edward had on her. But before I could put too much thought into the mysteries of the vampire mind, Edward let out what could only be described as a howl of pain; clutching his head as if it were about to explode. His grip on her slacked off instantly as if he had no control over his own actions.

What? What was happening? Were _they_ doing this? And if so, _how_?

There was an unearthly quality to his screams. They grated on my nerves like nails being viciously scrapped against a blackboard. My hair _literally_ stood on end.

Alarm for his well being (yes, I _was_ aware of the irony, thank you very much) spurred me into immediate action. I tried to make my way towards him to help; only to be blocked by Alec. I growled a warning low in my throat as I circled him; looking for an opening.

I could sense Embry just behind me; flanking me. _'Go Jake… I've got you covered. I'll keep the new arrivals at bay but I really think these two are the ones in charge here.'_ he muttered softly. _'Take the bastard's head off and then, let's go deal with his bitch of a sister! We can handle the rest of the troupe later.'_

Hell yeah, I couldn't agree more!

I regulated my breathing… preparing myself to take a running leap straight at the leech's head.

The very next instant; I was frozen in place; blind, deaf, completely powerless. None of my senses seemed to be working. No sight. No sound. No smell. It almost felt like I'd been stuck in a void!

'_Shit, shit, shit! I can't see anything! I can't SEE anything! Em?' _

'_Holy… oh Jesus god… Jake!'_

Well, thank god… at least I could hear _that_! It seemed that whatever this was, it hadn't affected the pack's telepathic connection. Thank god for small mercies!

Although, judging from the sheer terror reflected in Embry's mind that was the _only_ thing we could be thankful for at the moment!

Holy fucking shit, we were both completely screwed! All our senses had utterly deserted us. We were literally in the dark… and surrounded by leeches. We were totally fucked… on top of being screwed!

'_Guys, what is going on?'_ To say that Quil sounded confused would be an understatement.

I thought long and hard about how to answer him. How the fuck do I describe this situation? What do I say that won't come across as insane?

Just as I was forming an appropriate response in my mind, a sickening crunch followed by a half-smothered yelp made the hair on my back stand on end. The very same instant; Embry's voice shut off from my mind. Just like that. No warning. It was almost like a switch had been flicked off.

'_Em? Em?'_ I yelled but to no avail. Nothing. And I still couldn't see anything dammit!

'_What the hell is going on Jake?'_ Sam sounded as close to agitated as I'd ever heard him.

'_I don't know…'_ I had to admit to my helplessness. _'I don't fucking know!'_

'_Oh my God, Embry!'_ The panic in Leah's voice was pronounced…sharp and brittle. It took all of my willpower not to succumb to it.

'_Em? Answer me, goddammit!' _I tried one more time; praying that there'd been some kind of a mistake.

No answer.

Shit! Shit! Fucking shit!

'_Em! Embry!'_ The pack called out in unison… Leah's voice the strongest of them all.

The results they got were no different from the ones I had.

Dread unfurled in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. Very wrong. The way Embry had just switched off… that shouldn't have happened; shouldn't have even been _possible_. That's not how the pack mind worked. Not to mention, the connection I had to him – a connection that'd existed since the day I'd taken over as alpha… the connection that an alpha had with each and every member of his pack; a connection that was unique for every individual member – had never seemed weaker than it did at the moment.

I don't know if that was the push I needed to snap out of it (whatever 'it' was) – the severing of the connection between Embry and me – but the next thing I knew there was a little light in all the darkness surrounding me. Light, sounds, smells…they no longer seemed just out of reach.

'_Fight! Fight it Jake! I know you can do it!'_ Leah's voice was fierce and strong. _'Do it for us, for Embry, for Bella!'_

And just like that, the darkness disappeared and the world came into focus once again.

Only… what I saw in front of me was the stuff of nightmares and it was enough to make me wish for the darkness once again!

Embry's wolf was standing next to me; twitching and convulsing; frothing at the mouth. His eyes were literally rolled up into his head and I knew… I just knew that he was in terrible pain; even though our connection was still severed somehow. And God… there was no way he should have been able to stay standing through whatever was being done to him yet somehow, he was! I couldn't even begin to explain how…except…something seemed to be holding him up. It was completely unnatural and unholy and horrifying!

'_Embry!'_ I half whispered half yelled; my heart racing uncontrollably.

The rest of the pack was unnaturally silent; their speechlessness a true measure of their shock and horror. Leah; in particular; seemed incapable of coherent thought.

"Jacob!" Edward's sharp voice brought me out of whatever daze I'd fallen in briefly. I looked around numbly; only to see that he had risen from his fetal position on the ground and was now crouching right beside me. There was wariness in his stance as he kept a close eye on the leeches' activities.

And Embry… he was still twitching.

I snapped. I couldn't stop myself. Howling in rage, I flung myself at the bloodsucker; intending to tear off each and every bit of his body. Before I could manage to get anywhere within biting distance; a mind numbing pain pierced my skull.

'_Aaaaahhhhh'_ I screamed; dropping to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

From behind me, I could sense Edward trying to follow my lead but he didn't get very far either. He fell to the ground beside me.

The only thing we'd achieved by our actions was getting their focus off of Embry. There was a loud thud as his body hit the ground; hard. With the leeches' attention directed towards us; whatever force had been holding him vertical had gone away and he'd fallen to the ground; limp like a ragdoll. To my immense relief, the convulsions seemed to have stopped too.

Ignoring the blinding pain in my head, I used my front paws to crawl over to him. Closer to him; I could see that he was completely out of it. Whatever hopes I'd had of Embry coming to quickly; faded. God, he was barely breathing… his chest rising shallowly with every breath. And his heart was beating unnaturally fast; even for a wolf. What was even more worrisome was the unnatural angle his body was lying in. But I would worry about all of that later. First things first, we had to get away.

Thankfully, I could sense the excruciating pain in my head slowly fading to a dull ache. My body still felt as if it'd been put through the wringer but I could at least function somewhat normally.

Automatically; almost instinctively Edward and I rose and moved into a back to back fighting formation. That way, we could cover each other and still keep a look out for sudden attacks. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on me. Edward and I had somehow gone from being at each other's throats a couple of hours ago to being each other's only chance of escape from this horrendous situation.

But I couldn't dwell on any of that. Right now, I had to find a way to help Embry… to get him out of here.

"Give it up" Jane goaded us mercilessly. "You'll never get the better of us!"

'_What's happening?'_ I questioned Edward; choosing to ignore the bitch. _'What's wrong with Embry?'_

"I don't know exactly what they did to him but medically, I can tell you it's not good. Right now, his heart is beating way too fast and there's a lot of internal bleeding. I don't know why, but he's not healing…at all. At this rate, pretty soon, his body will go into shock. Then, his organs will begin shutting down, one by one. If we don't get him out of here soon, he could actually die." He hissed out of the corner of his mouth. I couldn't believe what he was saying. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't!

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… that would be _such_ a shame wouldn't it?" Alec sneered; having heard every word of our conversation.

'_But how?'_ I questioned; drowning in anguish.

"Alec and Jane are very powerful Jacob." Edward went on in an urgent whisper. "They can make you feel immeasurable pain or cut you off from all your senses. That's why they were Aro's favorites. And what's worse, they're completely without a conscience, wholly evil."

'_What the fuck do we do now?'_ I questioned; trying to keep a lid on my emotions.

"I don't know!" He admitted helplessly.

I threw an apprehensive look at Embry. Was it just my imagination or was his breathing even shallower than earlier?

'_We __**have**__ to get Embry out of here! I'm not going to let him die…I'm NOT!'_ I yelled.

"I know that!" Edward argued. "But how are we going to do that?"

A crazy plan formed in my mind.

"No, NO! Jacob, I'm not going to allow you to…" Edward protested.

'_We have to. It's the only choice! You take Embry while I create a diversion.'_

"I said No!" He was adamant.

"Aw, how _cute_!" Jane exclaimed in a saccharine sweet voice. "Edward and the puppy are making plans to help their friend! Isn't that just _adorable_?"

'_Listen, you have to do this!'_ I spat impatiently; paying no attention to her sick ramblings. _'I'm not going to sit here and do __**nothing**__ while my best friend __**dies**__!'_

"Well, then _you_ go!" Edward hissed angrily. "I'm not leaving till we have Bella…"

'_I __**can't**__! You're faster and you have medical knowhow. You're the only one who can help Embry! Take him to Carlisle. He'll know what to do. Come on Edward! You could be his last chance.'_

"But Bella…" Edward protested.

'_Oh, for fuck's sake, quit your bloody posturing! I know that you're worried about Bella. I am too! But let's get one thing straight. Bella is my responsibility! I'm the one who got her into this predicament and I'm the one who has to get her out!' _He hesitated; not completely convinced._ 'Come on Cullen… you know I'm right. You heard and saw what Alice saw. Vladimir clearly indicated that it's me he wants! You're the one who said so. __**I'm**__ the one who has to get Bella.' _I paused while he assimilated my words. He still didn't appear too happy with my decision but I couldn't be worried about that right now. I had no time to coddle him. _'Besides, this isn't about you and me and our petty rivalries anymore. You wanted to help, right? You assured Leah that you'd do anything required of you. Well, this is what I need you to do right now!' _

I sensed his capitulation with burgeoning determination.

'_Go!'_ I screamed; springing into action immediately; jumping on the leech nearest to me (who just happened to be one of the newer arrivals) with my jaws snapping wildly. I didn't stop to see if Edward complied with my wishes. I didn't want to stop at all, lest Edward have second thoughts about the plan. We didn't have time for second thoughts. We had to act _now!_

I took a chunk out of the leech's flesh, spitting it out immediately before moving onto the next one. Their howls of pain gave me immense satisfaction. After all, I didn't particularly care what body part I took off as long as it was something that incapacitated them momentarily.

A part of me couldn't help but marvel at the differences these leeches displayed over the ones I usually encountered. They seemed more human… their bodies soft; not hard and marble like. My teeth slid through them like a knife through butter. It was sickening somehow. And the lack of venom eliminated the toxic vampy taste/feel too. But they were definitely faster, stronger and more vicious…almost feral. I had no trouble believing that these creatures; unlike the Cullens had no emotions, no souls whatsoever. Evil radiated out of them. And I could already tell that the couple of punches they got in before I managed to get in under their defenses were going to take a long, _long_ time to heal.

With my entire focus on the battle at hand; I barely noticed Edward pulling Embry into his arms and making a run for the tree line… a blur of movement.

Yes! I'd done it!

But my moment of triumph was short lived.

"No! Let them go, you morons! We don't _need_ them. Get _him_! Get the Alpha!" Jane screeched harshly.

There was a flurry of activity.

"Where are the darts?" Alec sounded equally urgent. "No, not the one's with the venom dammit! We don't want to _kill_ him; just make sure he doesn't get away!"

Crap! Before I could so much as move six darts were embedded in my skin. Now to be honest, I barely even felt the sting… but the other effects were more difficult to ignore.

My vision went blurry… my thoughts, unfocused. My entire body felt heavy, so much so that I couldn't even raise my foot. The overwhelming urge to sleep overtook my senses.

'_Oh shit! Tranquilizer darts.'_

"Nighty-night Alpha…" Jane crooned.

And then I toppled to the ground like so much dead weight.

**A/N: - Sooo…? (Ducks and hides in fear) Anyone want to kill me? Should I sell all my belongings and take on a new identity? Or enter the witness protection program? LOL! Let me know…**

**Remember… you **_**have**_** to trust me. The part you've all been waiting for is coming soon. Just please, be a little patient and hang in there. Just keep in mind that this section was actually supposed to be a part of the last chapter. Which is why it ends the way it did… the next chapter will be better, I promise!**

**Moving on, I'd like to thank my beautiful, wonderfully extraordinary soulmate, Erin for her constant, unflinching support! She's a beta-ing wizard, trust me! Unforgettable wouldn't be half the story it is without her input. Her questions, comments and suggestions constantly keep me on my toes and help me improve. And her confidence in me makes me feel that much more confident myself. She's my support system and she makes me a better writer, there's no doubt about that. Thank you so very much for being 'you' and for being my friend, honey! Love ya!**

**On another note… I have to say I'm kinda upset right now. So, last to last chapter, I had this little meltdown and yelled at all of you (In case you didn't know, I felt terrible about it later). But, it seemed to work and I got about 50 reviews for the chapter. Then, in the last chapter, I just tried my usual appeal for reviews and that's it. Only about 35 reviews! So, what…? Is yelling the only thing that works? Sigh. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I am. But I'm not going to resort to those tactics again. So, all I can say is, if you like the story and my writing, please review. If not…well, there's nothing I can do about it… :(**


	29. Important Announcement

**A/N: - **

Sorry, this isn't an update.

I'd vowed to never, ever do this, but these are extenuating circumstances. :P

And, hopefully, the news I have for you will leave you feeling less disappointed and more excited.

So, here goes. Drum rolls please…

After a long, _long_ deliberation, I've decided to give in to the demands and pleas of my loyal readers and expand on my award winning One/Shot, "Take My Breath Away".

Yup, you heard me right. Navy SEAL Jake is gonna be back! :D (See…? Told you you'd be pleased…)

Anyway, before you ask, I don't know how long it'll be. Basically, I'm gonna take it one chapter at a time. But I do know that it won't be anywhere in the league of Unforgettable. So, I'd say that it's going to stay a short story…

I've begun to work on Chapter 2. It should be done within the next couple of weeks, hopefully.

So, if any of you are dying to get a glimpse of Special Ops Jake, I'd advise you to put TMBA on story alert or me on author alert!

Also, I'm going to send a sneak peak of Chapter 2 to all those of you who send me a review for Unforgettable (this includes all those of you who reviewed the last chapter, don't worry…)

So, if you're eager to catch a glimpse of Special Ops Jake or are dying to find out what happens after Jake and Bella's hot lemon in the dark alley behind the restaurant, you know what to do… Send me a review for Unforgettable and find out! :P


	30. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 **

**Disclaimer: - Characters and settings – not mine. Story – hell yeah, that's mine! (Jake wouldn't have ended up with Bella otherwise, duh!) **

**A/N: - Sorry for the interminable delay. Real life and a new project coupled with LOTS of crazy stuff, **_**coupled**_** with a total lack of time… you know how it goes. But, yeah, I'm here now. And as you can see, I'm back with a bang… or at least with a ginormous chapter which will hopefully make up for the long wait. Before you decide to yell at me for the delay, just keep in mind that this chapter, (like a few of my other chapter's) is 44 pages long! I don't know if you get the magnitude of that, but it's freaking HUGE, trust me! And seriously, it takes time to write 43 pages worth of stuff! **

**As you can see, I've tried something new with this chapter. So far, all my chapters have been from either Jake's or Bella's POV. But, with both of them being captured, I had no way of telling you what was happening at the rez with the rest of the pack without delving into someone else's mind. (Now that I think of it, **_**that**_** might have added to the delay a little.) Oh well, I'm hoping that once you read the chapter, you'll forgive me for the wait.**

**Warning – Jake's POV is a little explicit and brutal. Expect some squeamishness. Read at your own peril. **

**The chapter is dedicated to my lovely beta Erin without whose encouragement and support I'd have given up a long time ago…and to my friend Wendy who I haven't spoken to in ages and who I **_**miss**_**! (Where ARE you sweetie?)**

**Seth's POV**

The tiny living room of the Black residence was packed to the brim; overflowing with enough mythical, supernatural creatures to send even the most suicidal person scurrying for safety. There were vampires and werewolves and the humans who knew about us but had sworn to help keep our secrets. It was like a scene taken from the pages of a fiction fantasy – something along the lines of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings – and brought to life right in our very own backyard. Except… it wasn't. It was our world, our reality… and it pretty much sucked right now!

That the leeches had been allowed on the reservation… itself had been a groundbreaking development; unprecedented even. It was a testament to the unlikely alliance that'd begun years ago; with a fight against a psychotic, red-headed bitch; and cemented by the crazy events of last night. The really fucked up thing was that this would've been an incredible step for all of us; a huge, gigantic step… if not for the grim circumstances surrounding it. But, due to the very nature of those circumstances, none of us was in the mood to pay any attention to groundbreaking developments.

Frustration and helplessness ate through my gut like acid. The whole of last night had been an exercise in failure and futility. Bella, my friend – an innocent – had been hurt and taken from right under our very noses and we'd been unable to do anything to prevent it. To make matters worse, Embry had gotten hurt during the rescue attempt and not just 'hurt', hurt but seriously hurt… some kind of weird vampy voodoo bullshit that'd done a number on him. Nine hours later; defying all of Dr. Cullen's efforts to the contrary; he hadn't regained consciousness. He remained unresponsive; almost comatose and none of us had been able to pinpoint what exactly the matter with him was. And as if all of this wasn't bad enough, our Alpha had been captured; drugged and carted away to the vamps lair. And the thought that we'd let it all happen… that we'd been unable to prevent any of these circumstances was eating us all from the inside out.

The tension was thick enough that one could imagine cutting it with a knife. Every one of us gathered here was irritable, moody and on edge. The whole situation was chaotic at best and volatile at worst.

Silence surrounded us like a shroud… all-encompassing…oppressive. It was almost a living, breathing thing…an entity that could easily smother everyone with its presence and it was all the more overwhelming due to the sheer number of people present.

Under usual circumstances, it was next to impossible to keep this crowd quiet. Emily would've been the first to point this out. She was very fond of saying that we were more boisterous and unruly than all the children on the reservation put together. Today, no one said a word. After all, there was nothing left to say.

We'd done it all, said it all, debated it all... round and round till we'd exhausted even the most remote of possibilities. Following Jake into Vladimir's lair had been the first and foremost of our options. And we'd certainly tried to. But, that had proven to be impossible when we'd hit some kind of a barrier at the entrance of the cave. It was strange because there wasn't an _actual_ mechanical barrier there. No doors, no bars, nothing of that sort. Come to think of it, there was a whole lot of nothing actually. The closest I could come to explaining it was that it was some sort of an invisible force field that repelled us and prevented us from entering. But we just couldn't figure out what it was! All we knew was that try as we might, we couldn't get past it.

The most likely explanation, at this point though, was that it had something to do with the magical mumbo-jumbo Jake had spoken about. (And how frustrating was it that something we hadn't even known existed twenty four hours ago was being used to stump us so thoroughly? Ugh!) The energy had been palpable. I'd felt it. _Everyone_ had felt it. The hair on our arms had stood on end when we'd come in contact with the barrier. So we tried looking for other ways in…ways other than the main entrance. There were none.

By then, everyone had sorta figured out that we weren't getting in… not for a long while. So, we'd tried to draw him out; Bella's captor, the vampire known as Vladimir. We'd rammed into the barrier, yelling and screaming, challenging him to face us. Obviously, that hadn't worked out either. Finally, we'd run out of options and returned to the reservation.

Which brought us to here and now… with all of us feeling increasingly helpless and short tempered. The problem was; we didn't do helpless. We didn't do patient. It just wasn't in our genes. Yet here we all were; forced by circumstances to be both of those things. It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy at all. My blood boiled in my veins.

The sound of the bedroom door opening broke through my chain of thought and infused the room with new energy and optimism (It signified the end of Dr. Cullen's latest check-up on Embry's condition). As he walked through the passageway, it almost felt like the whole room held their collective breaths in the hopes of getting some good news.

"Any improvement?" The look of desperate hope in Leah's eyes was difficult to take. Mainly because, it wasn't often that we saw Leah in this state. She was taking this badly. Very badly. Hell, I don't remember seeing her this way since the day Dad died. She was usually the one who we all went to; the one who we turned to in a crisis. But Jake's disappearance and Embry's injury had shaken her up badly. And no wonder. The two most important people in her life, the people who she depended on the most, had been taken from her…and at the very same time. Her world was falling apart and it was clear to everyone here that she was hanging on by a very thin thread.

Dr. Cullen didn't answer. But then, he didn't have to. The look on his face was answer enough.

Despite Leah best efforts, a ragged sob escaped her lips. The desolation in it ripped my heart to shreds. That's all she'd been doing since last night. Mourning. For Embry, for Jake and for herself. God, but it was tough, not being able to do _anything _to take her pain away. She was my sister and she was hurting goddammit! I wanted to take her pain away… but I couldn't. I'd never felt more helpless in my life! Why? Why her? Dear God how much more could my sister take before she shattered completely? She'd withstood so much in her short life span… it just wasn't fair. Hadn't she been through enough already? And if not, when the fuck was it going to be enough? I felt like raging at God; yelling and shouting and screaming at him for the injustice of it all.

"I say we blow the cave open, rip the fucker to shreds, chew him to mulch and then burn the remains of his sorry ass to hell." Quil spoke up suddenly, shattering the shroud of silence; painting an explicitly, wonderfully vicious picture.

I couldn't deny the quick clench and roll of excitement in my stomach that his words evoked. The animal in me reveled at the thought of sinking my razor sharp incisors into the asshole vampire who'd dared to hurt Bella… Jake's Bella; who'd dared to hurt _Jake_; my alpha; my friend; my brother in every way that mattered except blood. And then, there was Embry… (But I didn't even want to think of him right now, I couldn't… not without losing my mind entirely.)

Loud murmurs of assent echoed around the room. It looked like my brothers were all in favor of the plan. Damn right they were! The vamp had hurt Jake and the woman he loved beyond life itself. He'd broken Embry… in a way that we didn't know could be fixed. He'd messed with all of us in the worst possible way and we were all thirsty for blood. He _had_ to be destroyed. I had to admit that Quil's idea was tempting as hell.

"A couple of bars of C4 should do the job, don't you think?" Quil went on with a feral gleam in his eyes.

I knew he didn't mean it… there was no way any of us would risk it, but I couldn't deny that the thought felt good anyway. God, it'd feel so good, so empowering…

For a brief moment of time, I allowed myself to dream of it; to revel in the pure thrill I'd get from ripping that sorry piece of shit into tiny little bite sized pieces.

"Are you all out of your ever loving minds!" Edward burst out furiously from where he'd been lounging around doing what he did best; brooding. "_Bella's_ in there! And you don't know _where_ she is! She could be right near the entrance for all that you know! How can you even talk about explosives when there's a risk that she could be seriously hurt in the process? I always knew that all of you were dangerous and impulsive but this kind of negligence… I hadn't expected that. This is nothing short of deliberate disregard of human life and I will _not_ allow you…"

"_Shut the fuck up, leech."_ Quil growled softly. "You have no idea what you're talking about! He hurt my best friends for heaven's sake. The fucker's gotta pay!"

I got where Quil was coming from. I did. This is who we were; _what _we are. Brotherhood. It was the tie that bound us together. And we couldn't allow some _punk_ to hurt one of us and get away with it. We just couldn't! So yeah, I _definitely_ got where Quil was coming from. We all did. But his words weren't aimed at us anyway. It was the bloodsucker who didn't understand.

"Jake and Bella are _our_ responsibility now, not yours! So, just stay the fuck out of this!" Quil raged.

"Oh they are, are they? We'll see about that now, won't we?" Edward's voice descended into a silky drawl. "Take whatever risks you want with Jake's life, I don't care. Heck, it'll make my life much easier if you kill him off now. But Bella…" He trailed off menacingly. "I said it once and I'll repeat it again, Bella is _my_ responsibility, _mine_. As soon as we get her out of this mess, I'm taking her far, far away from here, forever. I'm done allowing her, her little whims and fancies! I _never_ understood what she saw in you mongrels but I allowed it because it seemed to make her happy. Well no more! I'm putting a stop to it! I'm not going to let her hang out with you and risk her life anymore. This is it. I'm putting an end to her association with all of you!"

"Yeah…? You and what army, asshole?" Quil snarled viciously.

The bloodsucker showed no sign of relenting. Unfortunately Leah took it upon herself to step in (adding fuel to the already raging fire) by springing up to Quil's side in an instant.

Before any of us could even blink she'd shoved Edward against the living room wall. "Basically, what Quil here is trying to say – very nicely, I might add – is that Bella is one of us now and we take care of our own out here. So… Back The Fuck Off before I tear your nuts off and feed them to the wolves, yeah? "

Well shit. It looked like Leah had got her second wind.

"Leah, Quil…" Sam cautioned in a dull, listless voice; always the voice of reason. Unfortunately for him, none of us was particularly in the mood for calm rationality. Loud rumbles of discontent broke out around the room.

"You, of all people should know that we can't let petty differences get in the way right now!" Sam continued, addressing both Quil and Leah over the protests. "We can't be reacting blindly… not when Jake and Bella's lives are in the balance. We _have_ to calm…"

"Don't… _don't_ you fucking _dare_ tell us to calm down or I swear to God I'll…" Quil snarled; his limbs trembling with the effort it took to maintain control over his temper.

I took a deep, fortifying breath and edged myself in between Quil, Leah and Edward where they were facing each other; aggression in every line of their bodies. I had a sinking feeling that they were mere moments away from lunging at each other and I mentally prepared myself to jump in the fray when the need arose.

"I never needed an army to take any of you on, mutt!" Edward carried on snidely; unwilling (or more likely, _unable_) to let go of the earlier argument. "And you'll figure that out as soon as we have Bella back!"

"Why don't you just piss off, bloodsucker?" Quil raged. "Bella isn't with you; she _isn't yours_. Get that through your thick skull already! She's with Jake now."

"You filthy, disgusting creature! How dare you? Bella is _mine_. And Jake better learn to keep his paws off her or I'll just have to rip them off…"

"Edward…" The little pixie interrupted in a horrified whisper.

Yeah, I couldn't believe Edward was behaving this way either. Alright, so he was worried about Bella's safety. I got that. But no way did that give him the right to act like such an asshole.

"Back off, Alice. This isn't any of your business. This is between me and Jake's filthy mongrels."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sam, Paul and Jared vibrating like tuning forks, their fists clenched tightly by their sides. The Cullens… especially Emmett and Jasper were tense…as if they too were on stand-by. Alice and Esme seemed distressed, while Rosalie gave a great impression of being bored. But I knew that if it came to a fight, they'd all be on Edward's side; no questions asked.

Yeah, this situation was quickly getting out of control. Paul and Jared had never been the calmest, sanest people of the bunch, but Sam was no longer the completely laid back, 'nothing fazes me' guy that he used to be either. (Apparently, that'd been an 'Alpha Sam' thing. Once he relinquished that position to Jake, he was as susceptible to a temper tantrum as the rest of us.) Now, he could be as volatile and hot-headed as the rest of us; it never took much for him to lose his shit completely. And if laid-back Quil was this close to the edge, it stood to reason that Paul, Jared and Sam were right behind. And if any of them lost control, Edward seemed unstable enough that things could escalate beyond our control in minutes. And as Sam rightly pointed out, right now; with the pack short two members, including the alpha and three lives on the line; was the worst possible time for violent emotional outbursts. The whole situation could very well blow up in our faces. It had to be handled delicately, or there could be some serious fall-out from it all. And more than anything, we couldn't afford to do this now… not when Jake and Bella and Embry needed our help.

Quil seemed to realize this too. Taking a deep breath, he made a visible effort to calm down. "I didn't mean that we should literally blow up the cave." he grumbled sullenly in Edward's direction. "I'm just so fucking tired of doing nothing!"

"Finally!" Edward rolled his eyes. "For a moment there, I thought you'd completely lost sight of the gravity of the situation here! Alec and Jane are here, we _have_ to get Bella out of there, _now_! I don't know about any of you, but I'm going out there, _alone_ if I have to! I'm going to find a way to get her out of there while you pansies sit around debating how to deal with Vladimir!"

"_Lost sight of the gravity of the situation…?"_ Paul snarled disbelievingly before dragging Edward forcibly towards Embry's prone form. "Look,_ asshole_…" He pointed. "One of my pack members – and more importantly, my _friend_ – may very well be at _death's_ door while my alpha might be facing more of the same even as we speak! So basically, it _can't_ get any more serious than this, okay dickwad? In the future, don't _ever_ accuse me or any of my brothers of not getting the 'seriousness', because, trust me… we get it!"

"No, Edward is partially right." Sam piped in out of the blue. "We're not helping matters by sitting around and waiting for miracles to happen. Just because we've not been able to come up with a viable plan as yet doesn't mean we're going to give up or sit around doing nothing, right?" He stood up decisively.

I straightened, a new sense of purpose infiltrating me. Yes! We were _finally_ going to _do_ something! No more waiting. It was action time! _Awesome! _It felt good to have a plan… any plan. Even if it meant going off half-cocked and getting ourselves killed, at least we'd be doing something right? All this sitting around, twiddling our thumbs was _killing_ me!

"Quil, Brady, Paul and Jared you're coming with me. We're going to see if there's any way to get into the lair other than the main entrance." He ordered. "The rest of you, work on finding a way around that barrier. We're going to get Jake and Bella back safely even if it's the last thing we do! So, just find me a way in…"

Wait, _what_…? He was _leaving_ me behind when Jake and Bella were in danger? _Was he fucking kidding me with this?_ "Sam!" I called before he could slip away. I was going to demand an explanation. I deserved it! "What about _me?_ What am I going to do here? _Why can't I go with you?_" I questioned; pissed.

"You are doing something. You're taking care of Leah." Sam spoke softly; his eyes unconsciously drifting to her huddled form. The torment and tenderness in his eyes was sobering. After all these years and a successful marriage Sam still cared about Leah's wellbeing. That much was clear. What I didn't know was how I felt about it. But what I did know was that his asking me to stay behind was out of concern for her well being, nothing else. I capitulated.

Quil, Paul and Brady slipped out of the door immediately, almost as if they'd been dying to do something; which in some ways, I'm sure they had been. Jared and Sam hung back long enough to say goodbye to Kim and Emily before following them.

Their departure created this weird void in the room. God, I was itching to go too… but one glance at the way Leah was standing in the corner, biting her nails nervously and I knew that Sam was right. Leah needed me right now. "Hey, you okay?" I asked, laying a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" She blurted out dismissively. There was a moment of silence, followed by, "But… what if he never wakes up Seth? And what if we can't get to Jake and Bella on time? What're we supposed to do then?"

And there it was; the crux of the matter. Leah had just voiced our deepest fear. And it wasn't exactly unfounded now, was it? There was a very real possibility that things could really turn out that way. "Hey come on now, don't think that way. Everything's going to be just fine…" I soothed. So I might've been fudging the truth a little, so what? I wasn't going to tell my 'hair's breath away from a nervous breakdown' sister that her boyfriend and her best friend might both die on the same day. I know people say that it's always better to face reality sooner rather than living in a world of fantasy. But, in my opinion, reality was way overrated. And if by lying I helped keep Leah sane, then I'd do it a thousand times over, really.

"Come on honey, we've got work to do…" I coaxed her; nudging her gently towards a huge volume on ancient ritualistic practices. It was a testament to how seriously distressed Leah was that she allowed me to get away with it without biting my head off. Come to think of it, it was a bit worrying actually. Leah being needy and docile…? Yeah, the end of the world was near.

"Let's find out ways to get in that cave, huh?" She acquiesced; picking up the book wordlessly. I settled down beside her; hoping that my presence would make her feel more comfortable. Honestly, I wasn't expecting miracles but let's face it, the busier Leah was the less she'd think about this particular clusterfuck.

The ploy seemed to work. Leah was soon immersed in pages upon pages of our tribal history. There finally seemed to be some color in her cheeks. And for the first time all day, she didn't look like she was a tiny puff away from collapse. It wasn't everything but heck, I'd take it.

After that, everyone seemed to buckle down into their respective tasks. Collin, me and Leah were in charge of the actual research and we wasted no time in putting my mom, Billy and the other members of the council to work, scouring their old records for information about witchcraft. Dr. Cullen was left in charge of his patient while the rest of the Cullens were busy putting out feelers among all their _associates_ (for associates, read other leeches) about garnering us some 'witchy' help of our own.

It was slow going at first; referencing and cross referencing every bit of information against the tribal databases; but things finally seemed to be moving in the right direction when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw that hot English chick (I think her name was Lisa) sneak out of the house silently.

Goddammit, what was she doing? She wasn't supposed to be going out there all alone! Didn't she know it wasn't safe for her out there? Ugh! Nobody else had noticed her departure, so I guess it fell to me to go and rescue her from herself! And soon… because, Bella would kill me if anything happened! (I didn't even want to think about what Jake would do… but whatever it was, it'd probably include him tearing me a new one…)How the fuck did I get myself into these situations?

And yeah, I could bitch and moan but honestly, I had no option but to follow her. So, I might as well get it over with, right?

Telling Leah that I'd be right back, I slipped out of the house behind her.

I stepped out in the cold morning air, intent on getting her back inside as soon as I possibly could but, in the short amount of time it'd taken me to step outside, she'd dropped off the face of the earth! I just couldn't figure out where she'd gone off to. She was nowhere to be seen! I looked around askance. She couldn't have gone that far, could she? She'd been out of my sight for not even a whole minute here!

A brief flash of color at the edge of the forest caught my eye. There! There she was… What in the hell was she doing, going into the woods on her own? God, this woman had a death wish!

I hurried in after her; fully prepared to unleash a rant the likes of which she'd never heard before; as soon as I caught up with her! The epithets running through my mind were so vicious, they were sure to leave her head reeling. Well, good! She deserved it, the blind fool!

What got me madder still was the fact that she seemed completely oblivious to the danger she might be in! Being stealthy or quiet were seemingly not priorities for her right now. Just the opposite, in fact. She was stomping around the woods as if they were her own, personal playground; making a ruckus loud enough to wake up the dead! She showed absolutely no awareness of being followed. I might as well have been invisible for all the attention she paid me… and I was not trying to hide my presence at all. I don't know what she would've done had she been accosted by one of the bad guys…probably squealed like a kid and tried to run away! Jesus God, save me from all city dwellers; morons the whole lot of them!

Up ahead, Lisa came to a stop in a small clearing and I increased my pace; intent on giving her a piece of my mind. I caught up to her in no time at all; I was a werewolf after all.

"Just what do you think you're doing here, you fool?" The words were barely out of my mouth when she turned around; startled; and zapped me with enough energy to propel me all the way across the clearing. I hit a tree with a resounding thump and lost my breath on a whoosh. Bright, colorful stars danced behind my eyelids. Whoa boy, what the hell had just happened…?

"Oh my God, Seth… are you alright?" She seemed to recognize me immediately even though, we'd only been introduced once; very briefly at that. "I'm soooooo sorry! I didn't realize it was you!" She babbled as she crouched beside me; her face lined with tears and concern. "Say something! Are you alright? Are you hurt? Should I call the others?" She seemed to be on the edge of a full blown panic attack.

I tried to speak, I really did; but honestly, I was still trying to process the events of the past couple of minutes, and my breath still seemed to be eluding me. Besides, what was I going to say? I had no words to express my thoughts at the moment…

"Oh my God, you're really hurt!" Yup, she was freaking out. "Did you hit your head? Do you even remember who you are? God, I didn't mean to hurt you… I just wasn't paying attention and you kinda sneaked up on me and I thought you were one of the bad guys and I didn't stop to think, I just reacted and oh my god, I'm soooooo soooooooooooooo sorry! Tell me what's wrong. Tell me what I can do… just please, say something!" She moaned in desperation.

I shook off the lingering numbness; if I didn't say something to her in the next few minutes she looked like she'd lose her mind completely. "What in the hell was that?" Yeah, so that wasn't what I'd intended to say. I'd wanted to soothe her and tell her that she hadn't really hurt me, only my pride; but the moment I opened my mouth, the words just tumbled out. Go figure. Besides, that kinda _was_ the burning question in my mind wasn't it?

She blushed. "I… uh… I… it's a defense mechanism, I guess…" She trailed off shyly.

Say _what_? Defense mechanism, my ass! That was unlike any defense mechanism I'd ever heard of and trust me, in my line of work, I'd heard of a _lot_ of defense mechanisms! "Try again, sweetheart…" was my droll reply. Outwardly, I was calm and collected. Inwardly, my mind was racing a mile a minute. If this; what she'd just done to me; was what I thought it was, then this had very serious implications on our current situation. This here could be the solution we were looking for… the way into Vladimir's lair…and our _one_ hope of rescuing Jake and Bella…

I was excited. I was beyond excited.

Then, I saw the look on Lisa's face and my excitement lessened. She was Bella's best friend and she certainly seemed desperate to save Bella. So why hadn't she mentioned this before, during all of our arguments/discussions? If she'd had the means to give us the necessary advantage wouldn't she have come forward already? Why hadn't she mentioned this powers that she had? What was I missing here?

Impatient though I was to know all the answers, I decided that patience was probably the better way to go. "How about you tell me what's going on huh, honey?"

A brief flash of irritation lit up her eyes before she smothered it behind an indifferent façade. Hmmm… very interesting… "I'm… uh…" She hesitated briefly, "I… I come from a long line of… what you'd call, witches, I guess."

Okaaaay…

"The gift has been in my family for generations, passed down from mother to daughter…my grandmother was a witch, my aunt was… is a witch and I guess, _I'm_ a witch…"

Holy Crap! This was it! This was the break we'd been looking for! We finally had it!

She must've seen the excitement on my face because she hastened to add, "Don't…don't get too excited just yet… not until you've heard me out completely."

I frowned. "And why not?"

"Because, I'm _not_ a practicing witch. Heck, I didn't even believe in all of this supernatural shit till I came to Forks! My grandma tried to teach me this stuff since childhood, but I thought it was all a bunch of nonsense, I guess. So, I wasn't the best of students and I honestly didn't pay any attention to her. So, basically, I'm almost useless to you guys. I know the practices, the theory behind the spells… but I can't do them… not where they're actually useful, at least. I've been trying and trying to locate Bella ever since she was taken, to get a lock on her position or on her condition and I've got nothing! Zip, zilch, nada…" She sounded more and more agitated as she went along.

"Oh come on… I'm sure it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. What you just did to me, that didn't feel like nothing. Heck, you knocked a full grown werewolf off of his feet!" I inserted encouragingly.

"It really, _really _is that bad! What I just did was one of the most basic things…and it wasn't even planned, it was mostly automatic. I sensed a threat and I reacted, instinctively. I can't plan and execute a spell worth a damn! What I just did was, at best, an accident!" She shrieked hysterically. "Don't you think I want to help Bella…? She's my best friend! Almost a sister. I _love_ her! I want her back! But I can't do anything to contribute, I just _can't_! I've tried, believe me… I've been scratching my head; trying to think of ways to break through this barrier thingy, but honestly, I can't think of a single way to do so."

"Whoever is responsible for erecting it is obviously well versed in the art of witchcraft and I'm just no match for them! Maybe if I had someone to guide me, to channel me in the right direction things would be different…but I don't. Ugh! I might as well be absent for all the help I'll be to you guys!" By this time, tears of frustration and helplessness were running down her cheeks and _I_ was freaking out! I didn't know how to handle a crying female! It was certainly not my specialty even though women, in general, kinda were. But the moment they started crying, I was outta there! Hell, between a crying woman and a leech, I'd take on a leech any day of the week and twice on Sundays!

"Sh… shh…" I mouthed a couple of empty platitudes. ""What about your grandmother?"

"She passed away a couple of years ago…"

Shit! "And your Aunt…? I take it she's not in the picture either…?"

"Well… my mum basically thought that she was insane and that I was much better off away from her. So she made it clear that she wanted Aunt Sara to have nothing to do with me by publicly and openly banning her from ever seeing me again, on the day of my grandmother's funeral no less." She explained dejectedly. "So, obviously, I haven't seen her or spoken to her since my grandma died. I have no idea where she is, much less how to get in touch with her…"

So much for that theory... "Well, don't worry sugar, we'll figure it out…"

"Don't. Call. Me. that! _I have a name! LISA! How difficult is it to remember that?_" She exclaimed through gritted teeth.

"Hey, relax; it's just a nickname…" I soothed, startled.

"Yeah, well, _you _don't know _me_ enough to call me by nicknames! I _hate_ guys who call girls sugar and honey just because they can't be bothered to remember their names! Ugh!" She sounded fierce, even though her face was blotchy, her nose was red and runny and her eyelashes were spiked together due to the tears.

But, that spark of anger transformed her… lit her up from the inside out. And God, she was _beautiful_, in a very conventional, untouchable way. She wasn't the type of girl I'd usually go for… she had none of the obvious assets I was immediately attracted to. She wasn't tall or overly busty, neither was she voluptuous (she had a tiny, well proportioned figure, but Amazonian she was not…). Instead, she had the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen and her hair looked like spun gold interspersed with shades of copper and her skin looked like it would rival a babies in terms of softness and she had the most adorable smattering of freckles over her sun kissed cheeks…

If the situation would've been less dire I know I would have done my damnest to try and sneak in a kiss. I'd never wanted to kiss a crying girl before and I briefly wondered what it'd feel like. Would it be wet? Salty?

And holy fuck, why was I even thinking of this? I almost groaned out loud. Adorable freckles…? What the _hell _was the matter with me? Had I totally lost my mind? I did _not_ do pretty, 'meet the mother' kinda girls! In fact, I usually avoided them like the plague! Heck, those kinds of girls immediately equaled commitment. And commitment was not on the cards for me. Not now and not anytime in the near or distant future for that matter! No freaking way! So why was I even thinking of how soft her lips would feel against mine…?

'_Get a grip Clearwater! Focus on the problem at hand!'_

Yeah, that seemed like good, solid advice. I would focus on the current situation and forget about anything else. I'd set out to bring Lisa back to the safety of the rez and I had better do so; immediately; so that we could deal with the implications of my recent discovery. I'm sure with all of us putting our heads together; we'd be able to figure out a way to get into that cave…especially now that we had an honest to goodness witch in our midst. Things were definitely looking up…

I got up on my feet with renewed vigor. "Come on. Let's just get you back to the house. I'm sure we can figure something out. Maybe Carlisle knows something. After all, he's been around for a long, _long_ time. I'm sure he's come across a witch or two in his lifetime. And if that doesn't work out, I'm sure _one_ of the leeches will come across someone among their "acquaintances" who knows _something_ about witchcraft and that information will help you focus your energies in some way…" If I'd been hoping that my words would get some reaction from her other than tears, I was bound for disappointment. I sighed. I was definitely _not_ cut out for this consoling shit. Oh well…"Let's not get discouraged just yet…" I carried on in the same vein; giving her an encouraging smile and a friendly chuck on the chin. (Clichéd, I know… but it was the best I could come up with on short notice.) "We'll figure something out." She was already shaking her head. Well shit. Couldn't she just _work_ with me here? I was trying, for heaven's sake! "We _will_." I insisted.

I extended my hand towards her; urging her to come with me. Just as she reached out to take it; an explosion went off inside my head. Well, not literally an explosion, but it certainly felt like one.

It felt like someone had ripped out a part of my brain… yanked it right out of my skull against my will. Agony blasted through the bond that existed between Jake and me – the alpha bond – and it was painfully excruciating. Waves of anger and agony poured through and left me feeling completely drained of energy… of power. My legs gave out on me and the next thing I knew, I was stretched out on the ground with no recollection of how I'd gotten there. I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't obey my commands.

"Seth! Seth! What's wrong? Oh My God… somebody help me! Help!" I could hear Lisa screaming in the background; calling for help; but I couldn't even bring myself to tell her I was alright.

"_Jake…_" I forced the word out of my mouth. Unfortunately, it came out sounding like a garbled whimper.

"What?" She leaned closer, straining to hear me.

Gathering what little strength I had left, I made a last ditch effort to explain. "_I'm okay… but Jake isn't. He's in trouble! He needs help._"

**JPOV**

I came awake instantly and the feeling was decidedly strange…almost jarring. One minute I'd been knocked out cold and the next, I was completely conscious.

My senses came back into sharp, instant focus; bombarding me with stimuli.

The air was ripe with death and decay. The stench of rotting flesh was unbearable. Sweat, terror, adrenaline, blood and human waste combined to comprise the most disgusting cocktail of smells I'd ever come across. And then there were the sounds – inhuman cries of pain, misery and horror; keening wails; whispered pleas and desperate, incoherent mumblings. They made my skin crawl and my hair stand on end. The greenish glow surrounding me was faint… and yet, it hurt my oversensitive eyes as if someone was shining a floodlight directly into them.

It was a sensory overload that would've been difficult for anyone to handle. For someone with my preternatural senses it was unbearable.

And as if that wasn't enough, my sixth sense…the one that warned me when leeches were near was going haywire. It wasn't as if I could smell them (I'd known already that I wouldn't be able to. This 'new' type of vampire didn't have the bleached/rotten smell after all) but I could certainly sense them!

Too much, too much, too much...

My head swam. I couldn't _breathe_.

The wolf raged inside me. The whole situation made him extremely uncomfortable. He was agitated… _jittery._

Maybe it was because the wolf hadn't been completely asleep throughout this whole process anyway. (It wasn't an easy thing to do, tranquilize a werewolf, but I'd only learn of that fact much later.) It'd been completely sentient, lying in wait… tamped back but very much aware of the situation and its surroundings. It was the human part of me that'd been affected…and as such, it was that part that'd needed to regain consciousness.

Whatever the reason, I felt raw, chafed and on edge.

I needed it to go away. The smells, the sounds, the glaring lights… I needed it _all_ to go away before I burst out of my skin.

I concentrated on breathing slow and deep; cataloging and categorizing every smell, every sound, compartmentalizing it… a technique I'd learned over the years… a technique that'd never failed to help me focus.

It didn't fail me this time either. A few heartbeats later, everything faded into the background. The cacophony of sounds diminished to a dull roar…the smells diluted till they were at bearable levels… the pounding in my head quieted down.

The first thing that registered as soon as my senses settled down was that someone had taken the effort to untie the shorts that I'd tied around my ankle and put them on me so that, thankfully, I wasn't naked. Potential awkwardness avoided, thank God! But the second discovery; the more important and infinitely more disturbing; was the one where I found some _really_ heavy duty chains wrapped around my wrists and ankles; holding me captive. Cold to the touch and very thick; they proved to be unyielding when I tried to give them an experimental tug.

My heart sank.

I tried again, harder this time. Come on, come on, come on… Still nothing.

Goddammit! I was _chained_ to the freaking wall. Literally. And for whatever reason, even my superior strength was insufficient to break the chains. _Fuck!_ This was not good. This was _so_ not good.

But then, why was I even surprised? This whole ordeal had been one impossible thing after another…one insurmountable challenge followed by the next. So why should _this_ be any different?

The wolf _hated_ the confinement. Detested it. Absolutely, undeniably _loathed_ it. After all, he'd never been in such a scenario before. He'd never been chained up…_ever_… and he didn't much care for the experience. It was driving him _insane!_ He wanted to be free. No, scratch that. He _needed_ to be free.

He was used to being in charge; the natural born leader…always the strong one. Therefore, it stood to reason that he hated being helpless, under any circumstances. He was willing to do anything… _anything_… to get rid of the chains. Even gnaw his paws off.

I could feel the pressure building inside of me. The wolf was going wild, fighting to get free. It was dying to get out… to take charge. It felt like my own body was fighting itself for control and it was a very unpleasant feeling. It felt like the coiling of a spring… winding tighter and tighter around itself till I felt about ready to snap.

Easy, easy…. Jesus God… _no one_ would be gnawing _anything_ off, not if I had anything to do with it! One. Breathe in. Two. Breathe out. Three. Breathe in. Four. Breathe out. Five. Breath in…

Slow… Deep…Even.

I shuddered in relief as the pressure eased off a little. But it wasn't enough. It was nowhere near enough! I could still feel him inside my mind; an overwhelming presence; lying in wait to take over control of my body. Fuck! What the hell was wrong? Why did I feel so out of control? I needed command over the animal and quick. Usually that command came easily enough – endless hours of practice over countless days had ensured that. But today, that control seemed much too far away, much too elusive for my peace of mind. Striving for a calm that I was still far from feeling; I tried to find ways to distract myself.

I concentrated all of my attention on my surroundings. I took in all the available input; analyzing the smallest of details and storing them in my mind for further use. I took in the general layout of the lair, the tunnels leading in and out… basically every factor I'd need while planning an escape route.

Clinically detached as I tried to be, the cages filled with people gave me some pause. So did the pile of bodies and dismembered body parts…

Cages for fuck's sake… they were packed in _cages_. Like they were nothing but animals… nothing more than fucking cattle! They'd been used and discarded without a moment's thought and with supreme disregard for the value of human life. The whole situation sickened and horrified me.

And there… right in the corner, spread out on a huge four poster bed, covered with red satin sheets; was Bella. My heart jumped into overdrive at the sight of her. My first instinct was to call out to her but I forced myself to evaluate the situation in its entirety first.

The shallow movements of her chest filled me with reassurance. She was still alive, thank god! But she was spread eagled; tied to the posters of the bed by thick, sturdy ropes. And _fuck_, _she was completely naked! Jesus Christ, what had that monster done to her?_ I wanted to kill him, rip his head off, castrate him, something poetic!

And that wasn't even the worst of it. The thing that incensed me the most – more than the nudity even – was the fact that she wasn't conscious. She was passed out cold and covered in what seemed to be her own blood!

Rage boiled through me, hot and wild. My body literally pulsed with it. Shit!

The control that just moments ago had seemed within reach now seemed farther than ever. The thought that Bella was hurt; that she had suffered at the hands of this fucker was enough to drive me crazy!

'Calm down, calm the _fuck_ down!'

Impossible as it seemed, I couldn't _afford_ anger right now or I'd lose it completely. And losing it was _not_ an option. I had to think rationally and find a way to get Bella away from here! I gritted my teeth against the anger and struggled desperately to push back all of my emotions.

The effort it took was _monumental_ – much more so than usual and for a moment I was almost afraid that I wouldn't be able to do it.

"_Fascinating_…" The gleeful whisper couldn't have come at a more opportune moment. The wolf quieted down as my focus gradually shifted. My eyes sought out the owner of the voice. There were several other vampires around me, but I immediately knew which one of them had spoken. It was the tall, blonde one; it _had_ to be. An air of condescension and authority surrounded him… a mask of undisputed power. Everyone else, all the other vampires looked towards him like they were seeking guidance. And the fear… it was immediately obvious that everyone was terrified of him. Even my wolf sensed who the greatest threat in this room; the ultimate predator; was. _He_ was the one in-charge here. There was no doubt about it. I'd of course; never laid eyes on him but some instinct in me told me that he was the one who'd taken Bella from me – Vladimir. I decided to test out that theory.

"Vladimir, I presume…" It was more of a statement than a query but I still waited for him to confirm or deny it. A brief incline of his head was his only response, but it was enough. My opponent was no longer a faceless quarry. I finally knew what he looked like.

"Jacob Black…" The way he uttered my name spoke volumes, as did the look of disgust on his face while he said it. "I wish I could say it's a pleasure, but I'm afraid we'd both know I'd be lying if I did so."

"Likewise…" I made a point of memorizing each and every detail about him; his height, weight, general appearance. It was crazy but he didn't look a day over 25! Hell, he looked like a movie star; certainly not like the monster that he was. _How_ could appearances be so _deceiving_?

Shelving the surprise and disbelief for later, I tried to look for some sign of weakness, for any obvious chinks in his armor. From the way he was staring at me, it was pretty obvious that he was busy doing a similar inspection of me.

"It's funny, but I expected you to be taller…" I spoke, a shit eating grin firmly in place.

A flash of rage lit up his eyes briefly before he squashed it down with some effort. A chilling smile took its place. "And I expected you to be smarter, but what can I say…? Expectations only lead to disappointment." His eyes were coldly calculating…as if he was trying to size me up. But when he spoke again, it was the woman he addressed, not me. "So, it works?"

"Yes, Master. I told you it would. I've never let you down, have I?" The woman sounded downright worshipping.

"No, you haven't…" The cold smile adorning his face was just an extension of the rage I'd seen a few moments ago. It seemed that the woman's blind devotion towards him was nothing more than a pesky inconvenience to him; a laughing matter. The woman looked momentarily crushed but schooled her features into indifference almost immediately.

Very, _very_ interesting.

I decided to file this piece of information away for later use. After all, I didn't know how, but something that seemed insignificant now could come in real handy later on.

"Should I go on, master? We can go even further if you so desire…"

"No, I don't think we will." Vladimir replied slowly; as if he was weighing all his options. "While I appreciate your enthusiasm and drive, Lilith, we wouldn't want to kill our guest would we? He's no good to us dead." He continued resolutely. "Just make sure he's drained of his powers. That is _all_."

What the fuck did that mean? 'Drained of my powers'…? What powers? Surely they weren't talking about the werewolf thing, right? Because… there was no way in hell, they'd be able to 'drain' something like that, could they? Unless… there was some kind of magic involved! Shit, was this Lilith person a witch? Whatever it was, it sounded really ominous, that's for sure.

A very bad feeling was blooming in the pit of my stomach. I tried once again to break free of my bonds, straining and pulling against them with all my might. They wouldn't budge, not even an inch.

"Oh, I wouldn't waste my strength on impossible tasks if I were you… you need to conserve what little energy you have left." Vladimir's amused drawl brought my attention sharply back to him.

A feeling not unlike panic threatened to swamp me. I pushed it back with great difficulty. "_What_ did you _do_…?" I questioned in a deliberately controlled voice.

"Ah, I thought you'd never ask!" He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Let's see now, how do I explain this…? Oh yes, I heard you were a mechanic, so, let's see if I can give you an appropriate 'car' metaphor…"He was talking down to me, intentionally so. It was clear that he wanted me to lose control…and for that very same reason, I was determined not to.

"So, every car has a battery, right? And that battery charges itself every time the car is in use. But what happens if one day, you forget to switch off the headlights of the car for a really long time?"

He looked at me expectantly as if he expected me to jump right in and provide an answer. Well, fuck that! "Anyone…? No? Oh come on, don't tell me you don't know this! What kind of a mechanic are you, huh?" He spoke as if I'd disappointed him in some deeply fundamental way. He seemed to be deriving an inordinate amount of pleasure from this, the sick fuck!

"Stop with the stupid car analogies _asshole_! What're you, sixteen…?" I couldn't help but snap through gritted teeth. I regretted my outburst immediately. This piece of shit didn't deserve any reaction from me, none absolutely! Stoic nonchalance, that's what he'd get from now on… I'd make sure of it. "Is that all you want to talk about, leech, car batteries? Can we move on? Cuz I really want to get on with the killing here!" I injected a note of boredom in my voice.

"The battery drains out, you stupid mutt!" He snapped. I could almost see the rage pulsing behind Vladimir's cold, lifeless eyes and I derived a great deal of satisfaction from the fact that I was able to push his buttons so easily. Filing away that little tit-bit for future use, I focused my attention back on him. By this time, the brief flash of anger I'd seen in his eyes had drained away, leaving him smug and satisfied once again. "Now imagine yourself as the car, and the chains wrapped around you as the headlights. They've been 'on' so to speak and draining your power ever since they've been wrapped around you. They're doing so even as we speak. Soon you'll be as weak as a kitten… too weak to walk, much less do anything else."

The words were like being dunked in a pool of ice cold water…shocking, horrifying. He was trying to fool me, right? I mean, what he was talking about was damn near impossible! How the fuck does one do that, drain someone else's powers? No, it had to be a lie… a desperate attempt at misdirection and deceit. Unfortunately, the answer was as clear as it was painful. Magic. It came back to that every single damn time!

"Do you feel it…?" He spoke in an insidious whisper; the words wrapping themselves around my psyche… trying to wreak havoc with my mind. "Can you feel your powers leaving you? It's not as painful as the first time you phased, is it?" Fuck, he sounded almost solicitous! This dude was fucking insane! "I've told Lilith to take great care to avoid that. After all, I don't want you hurting now… before I've even touched you. So, if you _are_ in any sort of pain, let me know. I'll get her to fix it immediately. You see, I _can't_ have you passed out or unconscious…not yet at least. I want you to witness what happens next, to feel _everything_ I do to you. I want you to suffer. Oh and will you please scream for me? What am I talking about…? Of course you will. But just in case you decide to be all stoic, let me just inform you that I won't tolerate that at all. It's _vitally important_ that you scream. Isabella has to see and hear that. She has to learn the consequences of disobeying me. It's all part of her surprise you see…?"

Those words… her _name_…

White hot fury pulsed through me. How _dare_ he? He had no business even saying _her name_! She was too innocent, too pure for filth like him. He sullied her… just by referring to her! "Don't talk about her, don't touch her… don't even _think_ about her you disgusting piece of shit!" I yelled, rattling my chains in a desperate attempt to get free.

I didn't want to admit but a strange lethargy was starting to invade my limbs… a weakness… a numbness. Was this the so called draining of power Vladimir was referring to? Well, no matter. I'd find a way to reverse it. Barring that, I'd fight it. I wouldn't give in to it. I didn't really know how right now, but I'd find a way. I wouldn't let him win, I _wouldn't!_

"Or what…?" His smug amusement just grated on my already fraying nerves. "I don't think you're in any position to threaten me now, are you?"

"You don't want to find out, trust me…" I threatened silkily. Yeah, he was probably right, it might've been foolish on my part to threaten my captor while I was chained to his freaking wall, but by God, I meant every single word of it. If he hurt Bella in any way I'd find a way to make him suffer. I don't know _what_ I'd do or _how_ I'd do it, but he would pay for it…one way or another, he'd pay.

He threw back his head and laughed; as if I'd just told a joke, not threatened his very existence. "You kids nowadays… so temperamental, so impulsive." His eyes shuttered; his face hardening into that of a cold blooded predator. "Listen to me Jacob Black because I won't repeat this again. I've waited for Isabella all of my undead life and now that I have her; I have _no_ intention of giving her up. She's my destiny, my future queen and she's going to stay by my side for _all_ eternity." He hissed menacingly. "If you even _try_ to come between us, I will personally tear out each and every one of your organs from your body and I promise you, I will make the ordeal last for a long, _long_ time."

I ignored his speech. He was a raving lunatic after all. I didn't want to lend credence to his insanity. But what I couldn't ignore was the fact that if my calculations were accurate, this psychopath had Bella for more than ten whole hours before I'd even gotten here (and God knows how much longer while I was passed out cold). That was a whole lot of time… more than enough time to do some serious damage.

And that brought another concern just rising to the fore. "Why isn't she waking up? What've you done to her, you sick fuck?" Just the thought of Bella in this bastard's hands…

It felt like every cell in my body was on fire; rage running through my veins like molten lava. Once again that feeling of not quite being in control was prevalent.

'_Okay… seriously, you need to calm the fuck down!'_ I admonished myself. The creeping, crawling anger was gnawing at my insides; making it that much harder to calm down. But I had to try. For Bella's sake if not my own…

"That's nothing for you to concern yourself over." He sounded casual, almost dismissive as if he was commenting on nothing more important than the weather. As if it wasn't Bella's wellbeing we were discussing here. Damn him! "She's just a little worn out." What the _fuck_ kind of cryptic nonsense was that? "But, she should be waking up any moment now. In fact, let's see if we can speed up the process, shall we? Lilith…?"

"I… I don't know why she isn't up yet master. The potion should've worked by now. But d… don't worry master. I'm sure she'll wake up any moment now…" The terror in Lilith's voice was unmistakable. It was obvious that she was terrified of this maniac.

I tuned out the rest of their conversation. After all, it wasn't of any interest to me right now. At the moment, there was only one thing of any concern to me… the fact that Bella _wasn't_ awake. I don't know why, but something about that fact bothered me immensely.

"What…" Before I could go on, a low groan sounded close to me. My entire body tensed in awareness. I knew that voice; I'd know it in the dead of the night; even in my sleep. _Bella_…

A weird mixture of relief and dread overtook me. I was relieved that she was finally responsive…but was worried as hell about the kind of condition she might be in.

I strained my eyes; hoping to catch a better glimpse of her. I was desperate to ensure that she wasn't hurt…that she was alright. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a better look at her. She was just barely in my line of sight.

"Bells…? Can you hear me honey? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

No response.

My desperation ratcheted up a few notches. "Bells! _Answer_ me honey!"

Still nothing. "Why isn't she saying anything?" I demanded; struggling to keep my rage and panic in check. I had to be in control! It just wouldn't do to let this monster have the upper hand! The wild satisfaction in his eyes told me that I was only partially successful in my objective, if that.

His next words just about undid my tenuous control and drove spikes of fear into my gut. "Don't worry, she's just a little disoriented still. She'll come around soon enough, I imagine."

Oh God… why would she be disoriented? Unless… My terror knew no bounds. He wouldn't have, would he? "What have you _done_ to her you bastard?" I questioned tremulously.

"Done to her…?" Vladimir replied; his voice full of fake outrage. It set my teeth on edge. "Relax wolfboy, I haven't done _anything_ to her! She's just feeling a little weak from her recent blood loss. But I'm having it taken care of, so there's no need to worry really."

The implication of his words wasn't lost on me. From everything I'd learnt last night, I knew that she wasn't in any danger of turning just from him taking her blood. Still, just the thought of this slimy, disgusting bloodsucker with his hands all over her, feeding off of her, was enough to drive me _insane_! My body ran hot and cold with rage. "_You, son of a bitch! You fucking asshole! I'll kill you! I'll rip off your dick and stuff it down your own throat, you fucker! You'll pay for this, I swear to god, you'll pay!_"

His chilling laughter echoed around the cave eerily. "It amuses me to see how you humans can hold on to your delusions. Such arrogance, such stupidity…" His hand closed around the forefinger of my left hand; snapping the bone with a simple motion of his wrist. Then, before I could even react, he proceeded to do the same with all the other fingers of that hand. I couldn't help it. I screamed in agony.

"Do you see now, Jacob Black…?" He hissed as I was struggling not to pass out. "I could break you like a _twig_ if I wanted to and there's nothing you can do about it. So let's not operate under any misconceptions here… under no circumstances will you be walking out of this cave alive…"

I didn't reply. What could I have said that wouldn't have come out sounding cocky and arrogant; especially after taking into consideration the situation I was currently in? Instead I concentrated on breathing through the pain. Already, I could feel my bones knitting back together; healing. If he thought he could break me with a little torture, Vladimir had another thing coming. I was made of stronger stuff than that.

Unfortunately for me, he didn't miss out on the fact that my bones were mending themselves even as we spoke. "Hmmm, I'd heard that Weres heal quickly but hearing is not the same as seeing, no…? This is a most interesting development. No matter. I'll just have to _innovate_. I'm sure, if I think hard enough, I can think of certain advantages that come with quick healing. Don't you agree, Lilith?"

"Yes, my master." She demurred coyly. "I presume we won't be needing any healing potions on this one after all…?"

Vladimir chuckled delightedly, apparently pleased with his pet witch. "You and I are similar creatures, my dear. We even think alike. That's why we get along so well…" He pulled her closer and kissed her ravenously; even as his hands groped her body roughly. It was not a tender embrace by any stretch of the imagination and when you took into consideration the leech's inhuman strength, I had to imagine that it must've hurt like hell. But the witch didn't seem to mind the roughness one bit. In fact, she shuddered with obvious delight.

It was clear that this wasn't a new thing… that this had been going on for a long, long time. If I was correct in my assumptions, her whole life centered on _this_; theses little crumbs of emotion that he threw at her. It seemed to be the driving force in her life.

As abruptly as he'd pulled the witch close, he thrust her away. As if he'd just remembered my presence, he turned back to me and gave my arm an experimental tap. This time I was better prepared, or so I'd thought. I _had_ braced myself for the pain. I _really_ had. But nothing could've prepared me for _this_. His little _tap_, felt like a giant boulder dropping on me. (And if _I_ felt it like a boulder – with my supernatural immunity to pain – I didn't even want to _think_ about how normal people would perceive it! Damn, how strong _was_ this guy?). I could actually feel each and every _bone_ in my hand realign under the pressure. Waves of agony rolled through me; my stomach heaved and my vision faded in and out. Sweat broke out all over my body. But I didn't scream again. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Grunting his displeasure, he proceeded to systematically break my healed fingers once again. I gritted my teeth against the pain; holding myself so rigidly, that I could feel the tendons in my shoulders pop under the strain. And yet, I didn't utter a word.

Furious with my lack of reaction, he leaned close and whispered, "Stoicism will only get you so far, Jacob. I don't care how fast you heal. I will just break you piece by piece, again and again, till your body's defenses shut down. I will inflict so much pain that you'll beg for mercy! I've heard that there are 206 bones in the human body. Do you have _any idea_ how long it'll take to break them all and then, go through the process over and over again? _I_ _don't_. But I also don't really care! I've got nothing _but_ time. I _will_ break you!"

"Fuck. Off." I growled through gritted teeth.

He rewarded my little act of defiance by crushing my forearm to pieces; then punching me in the side. "Keep it up Jacob Black…" He snarled. "I can do this _all_ day!"

Excruciating agony. Mind numbing pain. Son of a bitch I… I couldn't…_breathe!_

When the waves of agony finally began to subside, I realized that two of my ribs had cracked under the assault; putting pressure on my lungs. I prayed for endurance. I prayed for relief. I prayed that this bastard would _drop dead_!

"Oops! Too much…?" Vladimir taunted smugly. I aimed a hot glare in his direction. Giving me a cold smile in response he raked his nails down my chest …all the way to my stomach and God, I could _feel_ them digging into my skin and my muscles; leaving trails of blood in their wake.

'_Breathe through it… breathe through it…'_

I gritted my teeth together, refusing to utter a single word. But God, the pain was overwhelming!

Thankfully, my healing kicked in quickly; knitting the skin back together over the wound. (Thank God this bastard hadn't remembered to take _that_ away!)

Vladimir though, was not pleased. "This healing thing is getting old really fast." He sulked. "I guess I'll just have to make sure it _really_ hurts while it lasts…" Without warning he plunged the bare fingers of his hand deep into my gut. It was unexpectedly brutal; vicious.

Oh holy fuck! A sharp knife piercing me would've hurt way lesser than his blunt fingers! I could feel him twirling them around inside me deliberately… The pain was beyond anything I'd ever imagined! "Unnnnngh!" I couldn't contain the painful whimper this time.

"_This_ is just the beginning!" He crowed triumphantly. "I'll have you begging for mercy in no time at all!"

I could ignore the pain of my broken body; I could ignore the ache from where the chains had chafed against my wrists and ankles; I could even ignore the strength sapping lethargy invading my entire body… all I cared about was getting free and getting my hands around his throat.

Usually, with this much raw emotion running through me… this much hate, I'd have phased a long time ago. Surprisingly though, I'd never felt more unbalanced and yet farther from phasing than I did at the moment. I didn't want to think about the implications of that. I didn't want to think about the leech being right. And I definitely _did not_ want to think about Bella and me being helpless in this madman's clutches. So, putting all that aside for the moment, I gathered the dredges of my strength and lunged at him once again. Or at least, I tried to. Once again, the effort proved utterly futile. "Aaaahhhh!" I hated this. I hated it _so fucking much_!

"Oh you poor disillusioned bastard!" Everything Vladimir said, every word he uttered, dripped with insincerity. "You actually love her, don't you? Tsk, tsk, tsk. And yet, you've always been destined to lose her. It's almost sad. And it's certainly pathetic!"

Incensed at his assumption, I growled wordlessly.

"What, you don't believe me?"

"Of course I don't!" I scoffed. "I'm _not_ going to lose Bella. She loves me too! So, once I kill you and save her, there'll be nothing standing between us anymore…"

He sneered. "How long are you going to keep lying to yourself? You have to know by now that you'll never be able to defeat me. Nor will Bella ever be yours. You were never her first choice and once she's had the time to evaluate all of her options, she'll come to the realization that you still aren't. You're just a novelty, a form of entertainment. She'll come to her senses soon enough. She has to. Don't you see? Even if I wasn't in the picture, she'd just go back to Edward, sooner or later. It's a recurring pattern. She doesn't love you enough. She never will!" His words enveloped me; sinister, manipulative, insidious.

"Besides, you can't deny the fact that Isabella isn't your imprint. So, as it turns out… she's not your first choice either. And doesn't that fact tell you anything? She isn't _meant_ for you! The sooner you accept that, the easier it will be to accept your death." There was a hypnotic, dream-like quality to his words and I found myself fighting against the pull they sought to exert on me.

"That's not true." My protests sounded weak, even to my own ears. I struggled to sound more convincing. "She wants me, I know it."

"Does she now? Can you tell me, without a shred of doubt, that she doesn't love Edward anymore? He was her husband after all, the father of her unborn child. She was prepared to spend her eternity with him. How can you be so sure that, given a chance she won't want to once again? Alright, let's forget Edward. Take me. I can give her something you never can – Infinite power and an eternity by my side as my queen. Eternal youth, eternal beauty, isn't that what every woman desires? I'll give her all the riches she desires… I'll give her the world. She and I will rule the world…we'll _bathe_ in the blood of innocents. She'll be happy. Can you guarantee she'll be happy with you forever? Can you even guarantee her forever…? Hell, can you even guarantee that you'll love her forever and not imprint on someone else tomorrow or next week or next month…?"

Something in his voice… I didn't _want_ to believe him, but it just seemed so futile not to. A drugging lethargy overtook my senses. I was in some kind of a trance. What was the point of fighting it anyway? Vladimir was right. _Everything_ he said was right. Maybe Bella _would_ be happier with him than with me. Maybe she _did _belong with him, not me…

My thoughts came to a screeching halt. Wait, what…? What the _fuck_ was I thinking? Where was this bullshit coming from? Was this leech fucking around with my mind somehow? But how? And what the fuck was it with leeches having all these extra super powers? First Cullen with his mind reading bullshit and now this dude with his ability to mess with them! Ugh! As if they didn't have enough advantages already? This was completely unfair! Either way, I'd had enough of this shit! With a lot of effort, I threw off the hypnotic trance his words had induced. "Stop!" I gritted out firmly. "Stay the _fuck_ out of my head, you hear me?"

Before he could respond, a soft whisper of sound reached my ears; making me freeze. _"Jake…?" _

Bella! I strained against the chains frantically; trying to get a better glimpse of her. There she was. Even in the condition she was in, bruised and battered, she was still the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. Thank God she was alright and finally awake! I was ecstatic.

Before I could even blink, Vladimir was gone. It didn't take a genius to figure out _where_ he'd gone. Dread pooled in my gut. "Don't you dare, you bastard!" I yelled, trying to break free of my bonds once more. "Bells, don't you worry honey, I'm gonna get you out of here!"

"J..Jake…" She groaned. "Where are you? Why can't I see you?"

"I'm right here baby..." I struggled to maintain an even pitch to my voice, even as frustration and rage battled for freedom inside me.

"What's the rush darling? You'll be seeing him soon enough…" Vladimir sneaked in behind her and hissed next to her ear.

Bella screamed; a blood curdling scream of sheer terror. Then, she began babbling incoherently. "Stay the hell away from me, you bastard! Stay away! Don't touch me! Aaahhhhhh! Jake, help! Get me out of here, _please, j..just get me out of here_!"

My gut clenched. Shit! What the fuck had this asshole done to her that had her so scared? I didn't even want to think about it. And oh god, what I wouldn't give to be able to just hold her right now. Instead, I had to make do with just words. _Fuck!_

"I'm right here baby…and I'm gonna get you out, I swear!" I assured soothingly. "No one is going to hurt you anymore. I'm right here." She managed to calm down a little. So far, so good. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" I continued questioning, in the hopes of keeping her distracted.

"N.. no… I'm okay… I think" came her disoriented reply.

"Of course you're okay _darling_…" Vladimir crooned. "I took good care of you didn't I? And I'm going to take even better care of you in the future. Now come on, we have lots of things we still need to do before we can begin the rest of our eternity together. Let's begin, shall we?"

The moment he touched her, Bella let out another horrific scream.

"Don't touch her, you son of a bitch! Let her go!" He paid no attention to me. "Why are you doing this?" I questioned in desperation; hoping that talking to me would at least divert his attention from Bella for a while.

"Why am I doing this?" He scoffed scornfully. "Do you have any idea how _intoxicating_ she is…?" He questioned. "And I'm not talking about her delectable body either; although that in itself is irresistible. But her blood – it's the _best_ I've ever tasted." He taunted; deriving tremendous pleasure from my rising horror. "And I've tasted plenty, trust me. I almost pity Cullen, that poor bastard. Having her and yet never being able to sample her… it's too tragic, even by his pathetic standards. But well, his loss is my gain!"

"All this while, all I wanted to do was get her and turn her," he went on conversationally, "that was the plan all along. But now that I've tasted her, I'm actually willing to put my master plan aside for a few weeks. I want to just keep drinking and drinking and gorge myself on her, that's how amazing she tastes. And fortunately, with Lilith's help, I can do so without killing her prematurely. So, I'm actually thinking of keeping her 'alive' for a while longer. See…? Now, that would be a great consolation for you, wouldn't it? When you die, you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that she might get to live a little while longer…" He paused for dramatic effect.

"You sadistic son of a bitch!" Berserk with rage, I thrashed around violently; bucking and twisting and writhing; straining against the chains, desperate to get free.

"Then again, why wait…?" Keeping his eye on me, he bit into his own wrist till it bled. Taunting me, he dangled the dripping crimson drops right over Bella's lips. "Just a couple of drops, that's all it'll take. What do you say Jacob Black…? Should I just turn her right _now_ or will it be better if I wait?"

That was the final straw.

Murderous rage filled me; coursing through my veins, pooling in my gut. It grew bigger and stronger and more powerful with each passing second; pulsing and pounding inside of me; gathering momentum, gathering strength… till it set off like an explosion inside of me. I was momentarily disoriented; stunned.

When I got my bearings back, I could feel that something was different; that _I_ was different. There was no rationality, no reason. Raw, animalistic fury coupled with the desire to maim, kill, tear, slaughter… those were the only emotions I was cognizant of. I wanted to _dismember_ the leeches; to _gut_ them and use their innards as animal fodder! I wanted to _bathe_ in their blood! It was almost as if the explosion had awakened something inside of me…a wild, uncontrollable presence that hadn't existed before and it was thirsty for blood.

The alpha bond between me and my pack crackled alive, filling me with a tremendous flow of energy. It was intense… the surge of power filling my being, saturating my senses. I could feel every part, every pore of my body come _alive_. Sounds were louder, colors were sharper, smells were stronger. I was still myself…and yet, somehow, _more_.

There was a disconnect – between my body and my mind. It was almost as if I'd stepped outside my body and was looking down on myself through a haze; through a filter of some kind. I knew what I was doing and yet, I didn't have any control over my actions.

With a detached sort of interest, I watched myself tear off the chains right from their very sockets. (I couldn't believe I'd been struggling with this for so long. It felt _so_ easy now!) With a triumphant roar, I tugged at the chains around my ankles. They too snapped off easily.

Everyone was frozen in place, too stunned to react. Vladimir was rooted to the spot; his eyes reflecting his sheer disbelief over my actions. He seemed to have forgotten about Bella momentarily. Good.

Sheer instinct propelled me to leap at the vampire standing closest to me. Before he could even come out of his stupor and defend himself, I'd torn his head off (as easily as if he was a plastic toy…) A horrific scream escaped him just before he disintegrated into a pile of ashes right before my eyes. That scream seemed to startle everyone out of their daze.

Chaos descended.

"What _is_ this? How was he able to get free?" Vladimir bellowed in the background. "You assured me this wouldn't happen, Lilith!"

"I don't know, master! This should _not_ be happening! The spell definitely worked, you saw it…" She responded, panic stricken.

"Well, I _don't_ really _care_! Whatever it is, just _fix it_! Fix it _right fucking now_!" He roared; retreating to the furthest corner of the cave; away from me.

In the meantime, his minions lunged towards me. I danced through their ranks easily; alert and agile as a panther. Vampires were usually the top predators and as such, they weren't used to being hunted. But that's exactly what I did… I _hunted_ them; picking them off one by one. They never knew what hit them. I was quick, deadly and brutal; tearing them into pieces with my bare hands. No one dared come too close. Those who did lost their heads. There was no mercy in me, no hesitation… only a seemingly unquenchable thirst for vengeance.

"Get the darts!" someone yelled. I turned around, following their movements as they picked up the guns and took their shots. A series of quick-fire buzzes punctuated the air as they fired the tranquilizer darts at me. I tracked the path of the darts calmly without making any attempt to run or to hide. I didn't need to. The darts seemed to be flying through the air in ultra slow motion; my eyes could make out their trajectory as they flew through space towards me. Just as they reached me, I made a quick sideways turn and dropped into a graceful crouch. The darts sailed harmlessly by.

Alec and Jane came at me next. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see them straining themselves; trying their level best to use their mojo on me. Unlike earlier when I'd been completely debilitated by their powers, now I didn't feel a thing!

"It isn't _working_! _Why _isn't it working?" Jane shrieked. "I don't know…" Alec responded, equally agitated. "_Just keep trying!_" The level of panic was slowly rising. My attackers were running out of options.

I didn't even take the time to kill the baby vamps. I just swatted them out of the way like they were a couple of pesky flies. My eyes were locked onto Vladimir. He was the only one I wanted.

With a terrifying roar, I bounded towards him; intent on ripping his undead heart out of his chest. He was still locked in place; but now I could see none of the arrogance he'd displayed all evening. Now his face was a study in terror. Feeling a wild satisfaction, I lunged the last few feet towards him; intent on plunging my hand through his chest and ripping out his undead heart… only to collide against an invisible barrier that surrounded him like a force field.

As soon as he realized that I couldn't reach him his bravado returned full force. "Well done Lilith!" He sounded jubilant.

_Lilith?_ This was her doing? Where was that insufferable witch? I'd take particular pleasure in ripping her to pieces!

But as luck would have it, she was nowhere to be seen. If I didn't know any better I'd say she'd disappeared into thin air! But the more likely scenario was that she was off hiding somewhere! Well no matter. I'd just have to find her and teach her a particularly vicious lesson. The thought filled me with immense pleasure.

But before I could go looking for her, a whimper of fear from Bella stopped me in my tracks. Thoughts and emotions leaked through the insane haze covering my mind. I had to get Bella out of here. _That_ was my priority; even above destroying Vladimir. I couldn't just leave her alone, unprotected, while I went on a personal vendetta to find the witch in order to destroy Vladimir. Important as it was to end him, Bella's safety was _way_ more important! I had to get her away from him. Now!

I realized that, but I didn't have to like it. Growling my displeasure; I turned back towards Vladimir's frozen form. "Don't ever try to come between me and my mate again!" I snarled viciously.

I could feel the power pulsing through my body as I uttered the words. It was flowing through me; making me feel stronger than ever… invincible. It wasn't anything I'd experienced before that was for sure. It was something more…something _other_. It was hard to explain, but I could see clearly that Vladimir felt it too. And it terrified him to hell.

Satisfied that there were no imminent threats, I turned my attention towards Bella. I tore the ropes off her arms and legs; while simultaneously looking around for something to cover her with. There was no time to find clothes for her but I wasn't taking her out in her current state either. My jealousy issues aside, she wouldn't last five minutes in this weather in her current state of undress. Doing the best with what I had, I wrapped the bed sheets around her body multiple times like a cocoon. Satisfied that she was now adequately warm, I picked up her up gently in my arms, bridal style. Throwing a final glare in Vladimir's direction; I growled low in my throat in warning. "I'm taking her away from you now. If anyone so much as follows us, I'll rip them to shreds! And as far as you're concerned," I glared at Vladimir, "I'll _deal _with _you_, _later_!"

Without bothering to see if my threat had registered, I walked out of the lair with Bella snuggled safely in my arms.

**A/N: - See…? I told you things would get better soon, remember? So okay, I know Vladimir isn't dead yet, but hey, he's way older and way stronger than anyone Jake's ever encountered. It's not going to be so easy to kill him…**

**By the way, what did you think of the badass Jake who made an appearance towards the end of the chapter? :) Any ideas on what's going on with him? Come on… I'd love to hear your theories and opinions. What did you think of the Seth POV…? Did I manage to do a good job of it? Btw, isn't Seth a sweetheart? Aww… **

**How about that Vlad, huh? Don't we all wish he'd just drop dead ourselves? :) Review and let me know! I'd love to know what you're thinking. I'm rather curious to know if your thoughts actually coincide with what's going to happen!**

**As usual, a huge, 'From the bottom of my heart' thank you to my beta and soulmate; Erin; for all her help and support in writing this chapter. She helps me with plot and character development and is always telling what works and what doesn't. If I'm honest I'd have to say that all the best scenes in the chapter have been picked apart and fine tuned by her! She just has this knack for making me go the extra distance and giving my best! And don't even get me started on how much support and encouragement she provides. All in all, she's definitely the best friend a girl could have and I can't begin to thank her enough. I don't know where I would be without you, soulmate. Thank you for everything!**

**So, that's it from my end guys. Now that I've done my job, you go and do yours! Hit that blue button at the bottom of the page and tell me what you think! Bella, Jake and I are all anxiously waiting to hear what you have to say! :)**


	31. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**Disclaimer: - All recognizable characters are the property of Ms Meyer. I'm just playing with them. And having **_**so**_** much fun along the way! ;) But I'll return them, safe and sound once I'm done. I swear.**

**A/N: - God, seems like apologizing for unforeseen delays has become a nasty habit of mine. I desperately need to break out of it, no? Sigh. **

**In my defense, I just moved from California to Texas and the entire process of packing, unpacking, acclimating to a new place and desperately missing beautiful, sunny California has seemed to have robbed me of my creativity! I wanted to post sooner, wanted to include way more in this chapter too but it just wasn't fair to leave you guys hanging for any longer. So, I sincerely hope that you forgive me. Fyi, I'm already working on the next chapter (which will be all Jake's pov as far as I can say) and I should have it out soon too. See, aren't you feeling better now? **

**As always, the chapter's dedicated to my soulmate Erin and my good friend Wendy.**

**And now, without further ado… **

**Seth POV**

I must've blacked out for a while because the next thing I know Lisa was leaning over me; her beautiful face twisted with panic and helplessness.

The moment she saw that I was awake and coherent, a beatific smile graced her lips. "Oh my God, Seth, you're finally awake!" There was a world of relief in her tone; the smile on her face was soft and gentle. Despite the disorientation I was experiencing, I couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in the world. I wouldn't mind being knocked unconscious more often if this is what I got to wake up to.

Okay, here we go again with the extreme mushiness. Apparently, whatever magical mumbo-jumbo shit was going on here, it had turned my brain to pulp! Yeah, that had to be it. There was no other explanation for this sentimental foolishness.

"Wha… what happened?" I mumbled, struggling valiantly to ignore the effect she had on me.

"I don't know! You were about to take me back to Billy's house and then, before I even knew what was happening, you were on the ground; muttering something about Jake. God, you really had me worried there for a minute…"

Oh shit! I remembered now! What the _fuck_ had that been all about? The intense pain, the agony, the loss of power…? I'd never felt anything like that before! It was excruciating! And yet, for a moment there, I'd felt Jake; felt his emotions; which was a good thing because, at least now I knew that he was alive!

I had to tell the pack. Leah. Sam. Quil. I had to get to them now; let them know that Jake was okay. This was great. This was _huge!_ I scrambled into a sitting position. Okay, bad idea. Very, very bad idea. My entire system revolted…my stomach heaved; threatening to empty its contents right there on the forest floor. The world swam. I held on by sheer force of will. Holy fuck! My whole body felt like one giant bruise… like someone had used me for a punching bag and then some. _Fuck!_ It hurt like a bitch. I groaned out loud; trying to breathe through the pain.

Just like that, the smile left Lisa's eyes; swallowed up whole by her growing alarm and disquiet. I couldn't help but be fascinated by her quicksilver moods.

"Are you alright?" She questioned. "Is there anything I can do?"

Kiss me better… I hurt everywhere, I felt like saying to her. At any other time, with any other woman in the world, I probably would have. But with her, the way I was reacting to her already had me terrified. And besides, this wasn't the time or the place for such flirtations. So I kept my mouth shut.

Instead I focused my energy on figuring out what the hell was going on. The last thing I remembered was experiencing Jake's feelings. Then, nothing. And then I came to on the forest floor, with no recollection of how long I was out or how I'd gotten there in the first place.

Oh, this was bad. This was very, very bad. I never got sick. Like, literally never. Something to do with the super healing, I suppose. In fact, I don't think I'd passed out like this since my first phase. And even then, it'd been a combination of the gut wrenching panic and the awful, painful rearrangement of bones and sinew that'd caused it. It'd never happened since then. And definitely not because of anything the alpha had done. In fact, this was the first time I'd ever felt what the alpha was feeling while still in human form. Such a thing had _never_ happened with Sam, but then, I guess it could be said that Sam was only temporary…an alpha by default; rather than by birthright. But that couldn't be it because it'd never happened with Jake either… and he'd been alpha long enough that if this was a normal, everyday occurrence, it would've happened already. So, no, this wasn't even close to being in the _vicinity_ of normal. It was an unprecedented event that had successfully managed to scare the shit out of me for the moment. I couldn't even begin to think about the why's and wherefore's. Besides, what did it matter anyway? It did neither me nor anyone else any good to worry about what it meant for Jake or for Bella. I'd be much better off trying to focus on getting back on my feet here.

"Seth…?" The frantic impatience in Lisa's voice broke through my chain of thoughts.

"Huh?" I questioned dazedly.

"Are you alright?" She reiterated anxiously.

"Yes, yes… I'm fine!" I wasn't really, but there was no way in hell I was telling her that.

"So what happened?" She went on; her voice reflecting the same worry and confusion that I was feeling.

And wasn't that the million dollar question? What the hell had happened? Damned if I knew. Nothing in my past, nothing in all my experiences as a werewolf had prepared me for this, whatever the hell it was. But one thing I knew for sure, I had to get to the bottom of this, and soon. Jake and Bella's lives could depend on it.

Charged with a newfound determination, I struggled to my feet. So okay, my legs felt like they had the consistency of jello, so what? No reason I couldn't still walk, was there? One step forward and I knew how misplaced my optimism was. My legs threatened to give out from under me; refusing to carry my weight. Damn, this was going to be way more difficult than I'd originally thought.

"And where the heck do you think you're going, buster?" God, she was cute even when she was annoyed. And holy fuck, I needed to get my head examined by a shrink! What the hell was wrong with me? There were far more important things to worry about. Jake and Bella's lives were on the line for fuck's sake and yet all I could think about was Lisa's cuteness! Fucking moron!

Forcing myself to shelve all thoughts of cute, adorable redheads for later inspection, I turned to her for help. Cuz, yeah, there was no way I was making it out of here without some support. And yeah, she was a tiny slip of a girl, but really, beggars couldn't be choosers now, could they?

"I need to get back to Leah or Sam. Right now." I tried to sound commanding, I really did. And I think I might've succeeded too, if it wasn't for the pitifully weak thread of my voice. Jesus!

"I really don't think you should be going anywhere in your current condition." She stated assertively.

"So, then what…?" I huffed exasperatedly. "You got any better ideas sweetheart?" So, yeah, I admit... the endearment was partly to see if I could needle her a little. And yes, I was aware that it was completely inappropriate to flirt with a girl given that my alpha and his girl were probably in mortal peril even as we spoke. I was also aware that doing so probably made me the worst, cheapest, slimiest, most irresponsible person in the world. But I just couldn't seem to stop myself. I just had to see the angry flush in her cheeks and the spark in her eyes one more time. So, sue me.

Predictably, her fuse lit up the moment the words escaped my lips. Oh yeah, she hated being called sweetheart and despite her best efforts to the contrary, she couldn't hide the fact from my discerning eyes. Her heart rate jacked up immediately, her cheeks flushed with color and her eyes flashed heatedly; sparking blue fire at me. She was royally pissed, no doubt about it. But without saying a word, she placed both her hands on my chest and closed her eyes.

"What…?" Before I could question her actions any further, a warm electric current flew through my body; like it'd been plugged into a charger of some sorts. Dear God in heaven, my entire body went into overdrive. The very next second, the weakness in my limbs had gone away, almost as if it'd never existed in the first place. "What the hell…?" I exclaimed; startled.

She flushed. "Healing spell." She blurted out, refusing to meet my eyes. "I was a very inquisitive child; getting into all kinds of scrapes; always falling down, always hurting myself. So this is one of the few spells that I _do_ know."

Wow. I didn't know what to say. This was…uh… _wild_! She'd healed me with one touch of her hand and a few muttered words. I mean, I was a werewolf, but even _I _was blown away by this whole magic shit! And fuck it all if that little display of her power didn't make her even hotter in my eyes! God, I was _such_ a sucker for strong, independent women who could kick my ass; figuratively, if not literally. (They were so few and far between that you _had_ to admire the ones you did come across.) Being around my mom and Leah all my life; seeing their strength and composure in the face of all the adversity we'd faced; had developed in me, a healthy sense of respect for strong, confident, powerful women. And Lisa definitely fell into that category, seeing that she was about as strong and powerful as they got. Of course her strength wasn't physical, but that didn't seem to matter much in the larger scheme of things. Oh jeez, I was in trouble. I was _so_ in trouble!

Eager to escape the uncomfortable nature of my thoughts I flexed my arms and legs in an effort to test the efficacy of her 'talent', so to speak. Huh. What do you know…? Good as new. Brilliant! "Thanks darling!" I exclaimed jubilantly. Before I knew what I was doing I'd pulled her into my arms and pressed a quick kiss onto her unsuspecting lips.

Big mistake. Huge fucking mistake.

She had the softest, most kissable lips I'd ever come across (and I'd come across more than my fair share of lips, thank you very much) and she tasted like a combination of alcohol and wild berries and God… she was totally addictive. Dammit! I pulled away as quickly as I could without appearing scared.

Lisa, meanwhile, appeared to be frozen in place; her expression a combination of shock and burgeoning desire. Oh Jesus… Oh Jesus God. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms once again and kiss her till neither of us could recall our names. And it looked like she wouldn't have much of a problem with it if I did. No, no, no, no! This had trouble written all over it in big, bold letters. I couldn't afford to get involved with someone like her, I just couldn't. Fun. Casual. Forgettable. Those were the kind of relationships I was interested in; not serious, lasting ones. And Lisa did _not _fall into any of the former categories; she had commitment just stamped all over her. So what the hell was I doing, dicking around in matters I had no business being involved in? Somebody help!

Thankfully, Lisa recovered her wits before I managed to do anything stupid. She backed off; putting a respectable distance between us. "What the hell was that all about?" She demanded aggressively.

With distance came perspective. Self preservation was the order of the day. I knew exactly what I had to do. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, baby." I drawled, oozing casual out of every pore. Who the fuck cared if it was all fake? At least no one except me would know, right? "Don't tell me you've never been kissed before."

She tried to smother her frustrated growl but I still heard it clearly enough and the reaction brought me a brief moment of amusement. Damn, it was too easy; getting a rise out of her. And lots of fun too. I knew right then and there that this; whatever it was between us (and that kiss had more than adequately displayed that there _was_ something); was something I'd have to explore in greater detail later on. There was no chance in hell of me ignoring it now. Nope, no chance in hell. I just _had_ to see if that delicious flush of hers was limited to just her cheeks or if it extended to other… er… more interesting areas of her body. But, no good could come from that line of thought right now. The speculation was better left for later; when I could actually do something about it.

"Come on" I called out loud; taking her hand in mine and pulling her along as I took off towards the reservation, "Let's just say the kiss was a thank you for healing me and leave it at that, shall… Oh Shit!"

We'd gone no further than a few hundred feet before I was forced to an abrupt stop; causing Lisa to bump into me from behind. I ignored her annoyed "Hey!" in favor of a bare-ass naked Quil who was just regaining consciousness on the ground in front of me.

"You okay, man?" I questioned; crouching down on my haunches in front of him. His only response was a groan. Clearly he was in a bad shape. In fact, I suspected that he was probably in the same state that I'd been in, a few short moments ago. Still, I had to be sure. "What happened?" I questioned.

"I dunno…" He grunted. "I was running patrol with Sam when suddenly this huge blast of emotion hit me out of the blue; smothering… _suffocating_ me. God, the pain was so unbearable I think I must've passed out…" Yup, that's what I'd felt to a 'T'. ('I', of course, had recovered faster, thanks to my very own friendly neighborhood witch. Quil on the other hand, was clearly still getting there. But before we could get around to fixing him…) "Where's Sam?" I questioned him urgently.

"I… I… he was right here…" He made an effort to get up. I saw that he was struggling to regain his balance and rushed forward to support his weight. "I don't know…"

"That's okay man. Let's get you fixed up first, huh? We can look for Sam later…" I assured him.

"Yo Sabrina…?" I called out to Lisa who; to my utter amusement and delight; was blushing and struggling desperately to look anywhere except at Quil's naked body. "Wanna do your witchy voodoo thing and help my friend out over here?"

And…wait for it…yup, there it was! Just like that, her eyes flashed to mine once again; full of self righteous indignation; her embarrassment of a moment ago, all but forgotten. (Yup, I was gonna have so much fun with this later!)

"Lisa, dammit!" She gritted out, "For the _last time_, my name is _Lisa_!" Having vented her frustrations, she turned her attention towards Quil and basically proceeded to do another of those nifty healing spells that'd taken care of my weakness just a short while ago. Just like in my case, it took her barely a minute to fix him up too.

"What the hell, man…?" Quil's astonishment was almost comical. His incredulous glance swung back and forth between Lisa and me a couple of times before it finally settled on me. "Holy shit! She's a…?"

"Yup!" I confirmed; popping my 'P'; knowing exactly where he was going with his question.

"_Holy shit!_" His eyes went wide in shock; his voice rose in pitch.

"Yeah, I think you already said that, buddy…" I smirked.

"Uh huh." He looked like he didn't know how to react or what to say. In fact he seemed completely flabbergasted. I couldn't really blame him. After all, I'd been in the same frame of mind just a little while ago. Alright then. High time I took over before the lady died of mortification. "Hey, you wanna put on some pants there buddy?" I reminded him; barely managing to suppress my amused smirk. "I mean, I don't really care either way; I've seen your ugly ass so many times now that I've gotten exceptionally good at filtering the image out, you understand; but we can't have the lady's delicate sensibilities offended now, can we?"

I don't know who was more embarrassed Lisa or Quil. Either way, watching Lisa trying desperately to hide her hot flush while Quil fumbled around trying to untie his shorts and get them on as soon as possible proved vastly entertaining.

"So, an honest to goodness witch, huh?" Quil questioned in a blatantly obvious effort to change the subject.

Hmm… fine. I'd let him have his way. For now. The hunt was way more fun when the prey got complacent, no? "Yes." I gave him a straightforward answer.

"I don't get it." Quil continued. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" This time the question was aimed directly at Lisa.

She flushed.

Yeah okay. Time to focus on the matter at hand.

Her countenance indicated that wasn't used to being under this kind of scrutiny ever, let alone twice in one day and I had this sudden, irresistible urge to protect her; even though I knew she could probably handle it herself and would probably kick my ass for what I was about to do. Well, fuck it! She'd just have to deal, because there was no way I was staying out of this. Somehow in the space of the last hour or two, I'd gotten involved. _Way_ involved. Try as I might, I couldn't stay away. Not now.

I stepped up to Quil and offered him a hand up. "Feeling better?" I questioned in the hopes of getting his attention away from Lisa and onto other things.

The ploy worked. "Hell yeah!" He exclaimed, sounding euphoric. Good. He took my hand and got up off the ground. I monitored him carefully as he straightened up; checking for any lingering signs of weakness. I needn't have worried. He jumped to his feet; seemingly back to his usual irrepressible self.

"Whatever she did man, it was kickass! I feel abso-freaking-lutely brand new!" He exclaimed, sending a warm smile in Lisa's direction. The words, that smile, and the way he was looking at her; made my blood boil hotly; despite knowing that neither of those things meant anything. (Quil was imprinted after all. He didn't flirt with other females, no matter how cute or adorable they were. He was whipped – by a pre-teen; true – but whipped nonetheless.) And yet, the jealously was all consuming. Why? Because _she_ was smiling back at him. What the _hell_ was she doing? She had no business doing that. Heck, she wasn't _allowed_ to do that. Ever. She was only allowed to smile like that for _me!_ Shit!

"So, what the fuck was that shit?" Thankfully, Quil interrupted my Neanderthal-esq musings.

"Wish I knew man…" I responded, feeling as lost and helpless as him in this regard. "I just know that I felt Jake's feelings at the time…"

"You too, huh?" Quil queried.

A scraping, rustling sound preempted my reply. What the…? It almost seemed like something heavy was being dragged across the underbrush. As one, Quil and I sprinted towards the sound and found Sam; in pretty much the same physical condition that we'd been in a while back… only, apart from the disorientation and the complete lack of strength, he was also bleeding pretty badly from all the cuts and scrapes he'd sustained while dragging his leaden body across the forest floor. Quil and I helped him into a seating position and propped him against the nearest tree trunk.

By this time, Lisa had the drill down pat and pushed both Quil and me out of the way before placing her palms flat on Sam's chest. A couple of minutes, and she was done. Sam's wounds healed right before my eyes. Even his complexion looked drastically improved.

Dude, this magic thing was pretty cool! And Quil was _so_ right. Lisa was _kickass_ for a supposed novice and a non-believer. She'd re-powered (for lack of a better term) three full grown werewolves in a matter of mere minutes. That was power beyond my imagination! (And that was pretty high praise coming from a werewolf seeing as we had a rather direct access to large doses of power ourselves!) I couldn't even begin to imagine why she'd want to give this up! How someone with access to such unlimited power could choose not to pursue it was beyond me! And more importantly, if this was her, at her absolute weakest… holy shit… she'd probably be unstoppable if she channeled her gift in the right direction. I could only imagine how magnificent she'd be at her at her full potential – powerful, strong, confident. My entire body tingled with awareness at the thought. Oh Jesus, what I wouldn't do to see her that way. She'd be totally commanding and in control…giving orders in that sexy British accent of her…Fuck, yeah…

_Fuck no!_

Not _now_, you moron, I cursed myself silently. Goddammit, what the HELL was the matter with me? Why couldn't I focus on the situation at hand? I was such a pussy! I couldn't even keep my eyes off her for five fucking minutes! Aahhh God, I needed to get a grip and fast. This woman was seriously messing with my head!

But, even though I was drowning in disgust and self loathing, I couldn't help but notice that she was looking a little more tired and worn out by the second. Shit, what was it? Was it the magic? Were the spells taking more out of her than they should? Oh, it wasn't too obvious (I don't think Sam or Quil noticed but I did; I _definitely_ did) but she was looking distinctly pale and clammy. I determined, right then and there that she'd had enough. No more magic for Lisa today, no matter what. She needed to rest and recharge her batteries, so to speak. Of course, I wasn't stupid enough to blurt it out loud. That would've been a surefire way to piss her off. No, I was better off keeping quiet right now, so that I could ensure; when the time came; that she did not overexert herself.

Of course, staring at her the way I was right now was _not_ conducive to appearing uninterested and unconcerned. So, in a last ditch effort to ignore her I refocused my attention on Sam.

'_Yup, that's right. Focus on your pack member and his wellbeing. Pretend that Lisa doesn't exist. Come on. You can do it.'_

The pep talk seemed to help a little. Meaning, I could at least think of something else for the time being. Idiot!

As I watched Sam pull on the pair of shorts tied around his ankle; something occurred to me…something that should've occurred to me earlier. (Something that _would _have occurred to me earlier, if not for a distraction called Lisa.) Just like that all the distractions went away; obscured by a growing pool of dread. "Hey, guys… what if we're not the only ones who felt this lack of power…?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what I was getting at. "Fuck… Embry!" Quil breathed; the stark horror in his voice a direct reflection of my own. If Sam, Quil and I had all experienced the same debilitating loss of power, it stood to reason that the rest of the pack had felt it too. And fuck, whatever the leeches had done to Embry, he was in _no_ condition to be losing any more power. I mean, we'd been in perfect health and we'd been totally washed out from the experience. Embry was way too battered for this shit man… he was almost at death's door as it was, for fuck's sake. Even Dr. C hadn't been able to fix him, and that was saying a lot!

And oh fuck, Leah! I couldn't even begin to _think_ about what it would do to my sister if something happened to Embry! What a fucking nightmare! My heart sank all the way to the soles of my feet. Even unshakable, unflappable Sam looked noticeably queasy. Quil swore succinctly.

"We have to get back there, right now!" The look in Quil's eyes as he said this was one of pure desperation. Not that I could blame the guy for feeling that way. Sam and I both were _very _aware of where he was coming from. I knew without having to be told that every fiber of Sam's being was yearning with the need to get back to our fallen pack member; as was mine. That was the beauty of the bond that we shared. Brothers in mind, body and spirit. We were connected to each other in ways that were unfathomable to outsiders; bound tighter than most blood relations.

And right now, every instinct in my body was telling me that my friend; my brother needed me, desperately. I had to go. I just _had_ to. It was the same with Quil and Sam; I had no doubt about it. But we all hesitated. What were we going to do about Lisa? She might be a witch and a pretty powerful one at that, but there was no way in hell she would be able to keep up with us; not even by magic. And none of us was too pleased with the idea of getting back the human way. It'd just take too long. But, at the same time, there was no way that any of us were leaving her alone out here. No way in hell. So what were our options? What if I just threw her over my shoulder and made a run for it? She wouldn't mind too much, would she? Oh who the hell was I kidding…? Of _course_ she would mind. But she wouldn't bust my balls for it, would she? Nah. I think I could get away with it…

Just as I was about to hoist her over my shoulder the silence surrounding us was broken by a loud, thunderous stomping. It didn't take us too long to identify the sound. Someone – a _big _someone, of the human variety – was running directly towards us.

Oh great! It was like a freaking parade out here!

Sam, Quil and I shot each other uneasy glances, our bodies tensing in readiness. As subtly as possible, I shifted my stance so that I was standing directly in front of Lisa. Without being told, I knew that Quil and Sam were flanking her back. The aim was to surround her from all three sides. This way, in case of any danger, _we_ would be in the line of fire; not her. It was a simple protective maneuver; directly in alignment with our primary goal – keep all humans safe. (Of course I might've had an ulterior motive to my actions, but that was neither here nor there.)

We waited in tense anticipation; gearing ourselves up for a surprise attack of some kind. As it turns out, we needn't have bothered. The person responsible for making the noise was no more a threat to Lisa than Sam or Quil or _me_. In fact, I was willing to bet my left nut on the fact that this person would probably lay down his life before hurting anyone of us…ever!

I couldn't believe my eyes. Wha…? How? This was a dream, right? Because there was no way that a bruised and battered Jake was standing right in front of my eyes carrying an unconscious Bella! What was even weirder was that she appeared to be naked, but for the satin sheet wrapped tightly around her body. Nope, this _had_ to be a figment of my imagination! Or maybe I'd fallen asleep and wasn't aware of it…? Yeah, that seemed like a more likely explanation. I could only look on in growing disbelief and awe as he came to a halt in front of us.

"Holy shit…" Someone (Was it Quil or Sam…?) breathed beside me, but I couldn't bring myself to look away long enough to identify who it was. (Oh, so they could see it too? Not a figment of my imagination then, I guess…Damn!) Whoever it was, I agreed with the sentiment wholeheartedly. Holy shit was right.

Sam and Quil seemed to be as speechless as I was but Lisa had no such problems. "Oh my God, Bella!" She squealed exultantly before darting off towards where Jake was standing; alert and still. (For some reason he reminded me of a cougar about to jump his prey. My nerves jangled. My arm shot out in an effort to stop Lisa or at least stay her momentum but, damn she was fast… for a human! One moment she was standing behind me and the next, she was all the way over there next to Jacob! If I didn't know any better I'd have thought she moved at superhuman speed. (But I _did_ know better, so I just had to assume that she was really, really happy to see Bella.) Besides, I couldn't deny the fact that if not for the shock, I would've been right there with her. Unfortunately, my feet seemed to be frozen to the ground or something…

Jesus, this was nothing short of a fucking miracle! For God's sake, Jake and Bella were _alive_…and _free_…and they were standing just a few feet away from me. How fucking awesome was that?

"Jacob, my man, you okay?" Sam's measured voice snapped me out of my daze. "It's me Jake; Sam. And Quil and Seth are here with me…"

Dude, what was up with that all the forced calmness shit? Sam almost sounded as if he were soothing a wild animal! Or maybe like a negotiator trying to talk down a criminal from blowing up a bunch of hostages.

"Easy Jake…Lisa, stop right there. Don't move an inch!" Sam snapped.

Huh, what? Was he _crazy_? And why was Lisa blindly obeying Sam's instructions and making like a statue? _What the fuck was going on?_ This was Jake we were talking to, not some monster!

I looked over at Quil in bewilderment but he didn't seem to be as mystified by Sam's action as I was. Okay, what the hell was I missing here? I looked over at Jake once again, this time taking careful note of each and every of his movements and actions.

There… _there_ it was. _Son_ of a bitch! Jake was eyeing Lisa up and down almost as if he were analyzing the merits of her being potential prey. His upper lip was curled up menacingly; reflecting his disdain. But his eyes were the most telling giveaway. They shone with keen intelligence and cold, calculating indifference.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. It wasn't glaringly obvious or immediately apparent but I'd known the man my entire life and it was evident; at least to me (and to Sam and Quil obviously) that Jake wasn't completely himself, if it could be called that. He had a wild, feral look to him that was not at all the norm. Call it instinct, but I sensed that whatever this was, it has something to do with what all three of us had experienced just a while back.

But I didn't have the time or the opportunity to dwell on it right now. We had bigger problems to deal with. Jake seemed to be having a lot of trouble dealing with all of us being this close to Bella. (Yeah, that was a big fucking problem!) His stance was one of outright aggression as he hunched protectively over her; his body language clearly warning us the hell away. I didn't understand. What could've prompted this drastic change in temperament in such a short amount of time? Had that asshole vampire done something to him; something to his memory perhaps…? There was no other, logical explanation.

There was something… something about his eyes that was just… wrong. They had a calculating aloofness to them that I'd never seen before; that I didn't even know Jake was capable of. It was very obvious that this wasn't the Jacob that we all knew and loved. I mean, it was him… but not. _Fuck!_ _This_ was a Jake who was clearly operating on raw animal instincts rather than his usual calm logic.

I inched closer to Lisa, suddenly afraid for her safety. (And how insane was it that I could even think that Jacob would hurt someone? If someone had told me even five minutes ago that I'd be worried about Jacob Black hurting a human being, I'd have laughed it off as crazy talk. But now… something in his demeanor told me that he was too far gone to make the distinction between right and wrong.)

Imperceptible though my movements were, Jake picked up on them. His head whipped in my direction and he bared his teeth in a vicious snarl. Halfway between Jake and me, Lisa stopped breathing, going utterly still; her body trembling with fear. Fucking hell! What was going on? I was at a complete loss.

And then it hit me with the impact of a bulldozer. Oh Christ! Oh _Jesus_ Christ! Jacob… _this_ Jacob thought I was a threat. To him…? To Bella…? Goddammit! Despite knowing that he wasn't exactly himself I couldn't help feeling hurt, horrified… sick to my stomach.

"Uh…Seth… I think now would be a good idea to back the hell away, my man." Quil whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Yeah, maybe. But that still didn't get Lisa out of the way of danger now did it? And there was no fucking way I was giving up on that this easily. Instead, I decided to see if I could get through to him somehow. "Jake, look at me." I urged softly. "Come on man, it's me…it's us. We're brothers here. Nothing to be afraid of. We're not a threat to you…or to Bella." His eyes registered the briefest flare of recognition before they were masked by distrust once again. But even that brief moment was enough for me. I went on, encouraged. "We care about both of you, man. We only want to help. I know that a part of you _knows_ this. Come with us… we'll take you back to your dad's house. Carlisle is waiting there. Let him take a look at Bella and make sure she's alright…" Yes, yes, I was getting through to him, however slowly. Gradually the rigid tension in his body eased. We weren't completely out of the woods yet, but I was confident we would get through to the real Jacob soon. I took a deep breath; allowing some of the tension in my body to flow out too.

And just as we were almost in the clear; the strong, putrid stench of multiple leeches wafted to us on a breeze. Oh fucking hell!

Whatever progress we'd made was lost in an instant. Jake – the human one – was gone; replaced in an instant by a cold-blooded animal. His eyes darkened; turned predatory – reminding me of a wild animal about to spring on his unsuspecting prey.

Fucking hell! We had to get Lisa out of here – and while we were at it, Bella too. (Which was going to be easier said than done! With the way Jake was holding onto Bella, I couldn't help but feel that we'd have more luck dismembering a couple dozen leeches than getting anywhere close to Bella… but fuck, we had to try!) If things descended into the clusterfuck that I thought they might, they'd both be at serious risk here, what with them being human and all.

Just as I was gearing myself up to lunge for Lisa…and God willing Bella; Edward and Alice stepped into view. Oh _fucking _hell! I almost swore out loud! Why? Why me? As if things weren't screwed up enough… seriously! Why the fuck did it have to be _them_? Why couldn't it have been Emmett or Jasper? Jasper we could've actually used right about now. He might've been able to calm Jake down. But no. It was just our luck that we were saddled with two of the absolute worst possibilities as far as keeping Jake calm were concerned.

"Bella…?" Edward called; stepping closer to her before any of us could caution him otherwise.

Jake tensed; his cold, vacant eyes snapping to the leech immediately.

Jesus save us all! (And once again, can I just say, why me?)

"What have you done to her, you _bastard_?" Eddie boy hissed aggressively; when there was no forthcoming response from Bella. And no wonder! It was obvious even to me; even at _this _distance; that Bella was passed out cold. And if I knew, then there was no way the leech didn't know! But of course, he had to throw his weight around. Dick! For God's sake… the rhythm of her heart was fine and she was breathing normally. Moreover, there was no sign of distress on her expression. So, we had no reason to be worried. But of course, Edward didn't see it that way. (Shocker, I know!)

Moronic idiot that he was; Edward took her unconsciousness as a sign that Jake had hurt her in some way and that it was his god given quest to try and rescue her from the clutches of the big, bad wolf!

"What the _hell_ is going on here?" He demanded; stalking closer to the two of them.

Jake went on the offensive; growling threateningly. His message; loud and clear. 'Stay the hell away!'

"Oh Holy Christ…" I breathed; praying desperately for some divine intervention.

"Edward, no!" Alice shrieked.

Whatever was wrong with Jake, it was clear that it had everything to do with Bella's safety and that he really, _really_ didn't appreciate any threats to her; real or perceived. It was equally clear that he considered the leech a threat. And Edward wasn't helping matters any with his He-man act.

A plus B equals clusterfuck.

As the leech ignored all the warning signs and continued to inch his way forward; Jake's body quaked all over. A low, continuous growl came from his throat as his body tightened with aggression and fury. I had no doubt that the very next instant we were about to have a very pissed off werewolf on our hands.

Now I'd seen Jake during battle plenty of times before, but this time was clearly different. He was edgier, rawer… more feral than I'd ever seen him before; and something (call it a sixth sense) told me that he wouldn't be hesitating or holding back. In his current frame of mind, I couldn't even be sure that he'd take into account something as mundane as a treaty that'd been made by his ancestor some hundred years ago.

Damn, this could mean trouble for us… lots of trouble. Even on his worst days, none of us could take Jake on. Aside from that whole alpha thing he was also the biggest, strongest and meanest fighter amongst all of us. But _today,_ every fiber of his being was just _screaming _with ruthless dominance; teeming with raw, unadulterated, limitless power. (Simply speaking, he was emitting enough energy to power the entire country and some of the third world nations along with it! The air around us was literally humming with electricity.) Call me paranoid but I couldn't help the feeling that in an actual battle scenario; he'd cream all of us singlehandedly; the leeches included. And even if that weren't the case, he'd at least take a few of us down with him before we could even blink. Besides, none of us actually wanted to fight him, much less hurt him, even in these circumstances! (Except maybe Edward who at the moment looked like a dog who'd lost his bone…) After all; Jake might've been out of it for the moment, but we weren't! There was no way in hell that we were going to fight our alpha. Especially, not with a civilian added to the mix. Dammit!

"Hand Bella over to me!" Edward snarled into the tense silence. "Now!"

Lisa gasped. I groaned. "Shut the fuck up, Eddie boy!" Quil hissed angrily. All appropriate reactions, I might add.

Granted, I liked Edward a lot but even I couldn't deny the fact that the dude did _not_ know when to shut the hell up! And this coming from a mind reader! God! (Thankfully, the leech was too focused on Jake and Bella at the moment to retaliate to my mental slam but I had no doubt I'd have to face the consequences later.)

"Don't be an idiot Edward! I think it's pretty damn obvious what's going on…" Alice snapped; her pretty face pinched with tension. Bravo! (That pixie sure was something else. For such a tiny scrap of a thing she had enough spunk to best ten women.)

But Edward seemed to be immune to her threats. (Over half a century of living with a person will do that to you, I guess.) That; or he'd totally lost his mind. Either way, he ignored all of us. "You heard me, mutt! Give her to me, right now!" He challenged Jake threateningly. And as if that in itself wasn't bad enough, he closed in on the two of them and reached out as if to pry Bella from Jake's arms.

Fucking moron!

Before any of us could even register what was going on, all hell broke loose. An almost inhuman snarl escaped Jake as he stood there; his entire body vibrating with rage. His eyes glowed with preternatural strength as he singlehandedly picked Edward up like a rag doll and threw him away with a resounding crash. Whoa! That was… uh… yeah. Honestly, I was grateful that he didn't just tear the leeches head off because he looked pissed off enough to do just that! What was even more astonishing was that he did this while still holding onto Bella with one hand. Oh shit!

A moment later, the leech was up; his eyes black with seething hatred. _Holy _shit! This was so, _so_ not good.

"Lisa, run!" I screamed on a burst of adrenaline; even as my body went into an automatic full on, all out sprint. Fuck! Jake seemed to be gearing up to take another swipe at Eddie boy. And if it hadn't been for Bella, I'm sure Edward would've been gunning for Jake too. But with Jake refusing to let her go, I knew that Edward couldn't… wouldn't do much. As it was he tried to blur around Jake and throw a blind punch at him. He failed. Spectacularly.

Somehow; God knows how; (the leech was one of the fastest creatures I'd ever known; much faster than Leah who was the fastest among us; and I, for one hadn't been able to see him move…) Jake was able to follow his every movement. Before Edward's punch could find its target, Jake blocked him; seemingly effortlessly. Using the leeches own momentum against him; he dragged him closer and punched him right below the jaw. The resulting bang was almost deafening. Dammit! We had to do something… intervene somehow. No matter how much of a dick the leech was being, he didn't deserve to lose his life over it. Besides, even if he couldn't overtly attack Jake, that didn't mean he couldn't do any damage. Fucking hell! This whole situation had disaster written all over it!

Apparently, Sam and Quil had the same idea because they were right there beside me; equally willing to throw themselves between the leech and Jake if need be. (Fuck, it seemed like that was all we were doing lately; throwing ourselves in the middle of these 'to the death' fights between our fearless alpha and that idiotic leech! Dammit, this had to stop; one way or the other; before someone ended up dead or hurt beyond repair or we'd all regret it for the rest of our interminable lives!) Alice; meanwhile rushed towards Edward; trying to curb his stupidity, one would hope.

"Jake No!" Sam yelled. "You don't want to do this. Edward isn't going to hurt Bella. He's one of the good guys." God, I could just imagine how much it must've pained Sam to utter those words. Unlike me, Sam had never really become comfortable with the leeches. As far as he was concerned, the leeches were our enemies and that was that. There was no middle ground and no room for debate, not in Sam's world. Just the fact that he was calling one of them the 'good guys' said a lot about the situation on hand. We were all grimly aware of the fact that if we didn't get through to Jake, one of them might well die here. "He's just trying to protect her in his own way. You might not agree with his methods but his heart is in the right place and some part of you knows this. You have to stop this madness Jacob… before you do something you'll end up regretting for the rest of your life! Come on now. Take a deep breath."

Were we getting through? Was he even _listening_ to us? Did he even understand what we were saying? Was he too far gone…? God, I hoped not! Because let's face it. In an all out, no holds barred fight between Jacob and Edward, there was no way of predicting the outcome, no way of knowing who'd come out the winner…

"_Jake_…" Bella moaned. Her voice might as well have been a gunshot for the effect it had on the two opponents. They both froze in place, their fight seemingly forgotten. Oh thank God! The distraction couldn't have come at a more opportune moment. If anything could've snapped Jake out of his mindless rage it was Bella. And it'd worked brilliantly. Thank heaven.

The supernatural glow in Jacob's eyes slowly flickered, dimmed, flickered again and eventually disappeared completely. His attention had completely shifted focus from the vampire he'd been fighting to the delicate woman in his arms; his worry over her well-being so obvious it would've been apparent even to a complete, total stranger.

There was a brief moment of hesitation in which Jake seemed to be wrestling with some kind of an inner conflict. Wait a minute. Was that a hint of recognition I saw in his eyes…? Regret? He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times as if he were struggling to say something. I held my breath, praying fervently. But no. The moment elapsed and the flash of recognition died away; replaced once again by a blank mask. Before I could even begin to process my feelings Jake tightened his grip on Bella and took off.

Dammit, now what?

"Come on guys, let's get out of here." Quil spoke, trying to diffuse the lingering tension.

"Have you guys lost your ever loving minds?" Edward exploded. "We _have_ to follow them! We have to get her away from that… _that_ _monster_ somehow! He's in no condition to be going off alone with anyone; let alone Bella. Did any of you _not see_ how he attacked me without provocation? What if he loses it around her? He could _kill_ her!"

Oh, for fuck's sake. I'd had enough.

Giving him a lethal glare, I stepped ahead and blocked his path. Sam and Quil flanked my sides. Alice too, surprisingly enough. To say that I was surprised by her behavior would've been a gross understatement.

"He's _not_ going to hurt her. Let them go, Edward…" Alice spoke up before any of us could say anything.

"How do you know? You can't see her future when she's with him, remember?" I had to say, the guy sounded scared shitless. He still loved Bella, no doubt about that. But, as usual, he was going about it in his usual messed up way!

"No, I can't see what happens to her once they leave this place. But I did see her now." Alice's voice had gentled inexplicably. "Did you _not_ see how she clung to him Edward…? Did you _not_ see how he held her?" She reasoned patiently. "He'd _die_ before he let anything happen to her and even in her unconsciousness she knew it. She called out for _him_; Edward; not _you_. How much more proof do you need?" Edward's eyes reflected his unfathomable pain as he registered Alice's words. Damn, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. "Let them go Edward…You _have_ to let _her_ go. She's moved on. She doesn't need you to protect her anymore. That's Jacob's job now." The pixie urged softly.

It was hard to ignore the obvious logic in the pixie's words and finally; after what seemed like an eon; the leech seemed to get it too. All the fight went out of him leaving the impression of a rapidly deflating balloon.

Thank God common sense and the pixie had prevailed. It meant that we were off the hook. We didn't have to jump in and prevent the leech from attempting yet another stupid feat! Halleluiah! We could finally let our guards down.

I could feel the tension seeping out of me. Sam and Quil were equally relieved if the glances they exchanged were anything to go by.

As one, we turned to look for Jake; trying to reassure ourselves that he and Bella had gotten away safely; but they were nowhere to be seen. They were long gone.

**A/N: - I'm sorry for the serious lack of Jacob and Bella in this chapter. For what it's worth, the next chapter; as far as I can tell; will definitely make up for it! Hope you aren't too disappointed.**

**Don't forget. Reviews fuel the imagination and make the process of writing move along faster! So don't forget to share your views and opinions no matter what they are. I love to hear from all my readers and make a point to reply to all of them personally. Thank you. **

**This chapter wouldn't have been possible without the never ending, unflinching support of the best beta in the world; my friend and soulmate Erin. I can't reiterate it enough; she's the most supportive, the most intuitive and the most incredibly patient and involved beta a girl can have. She never gets tired of listening to me and giving smart, spot on advice about my story and my characters. She has an innate talent that I really envy and shamelessly exploit (:P) and she keeps me on track as far as the story goes. Thank you honey. I can't say it enough. You're the best!**


	32. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**Disclaimer: - Please don't sue me! I don't own anything! Like, literally… I own nothing. **

**A/N: - Sorry for the delay. I know I've said this loads of times before but I think it bears repeating, especially in the case of this chapter. It was literally one of the most difficult chapters I've written. Ask my beta. I gave her loads of trouble over it. But, I'm finally done with it and I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**Having said that, let's focus on the positives, right? I have another humdinger of a chapter (40-odd pages) and it's an ALL JPOV! YIPEE, right? Yeah, I thought so. So, enjoy! ;)**

**As usual, the chapter is dedicated to my wonderful soulmate/ beta Erin and to my friend Wendy for being the awesome person that she is. It is also dedicated to all my fantastically loyal readers. I willingly admit that I have some of the BEST readers out there and I can't even begin to thank them for their support and patience. I hope this chapter conveys some of my gratitude… ;) **

**JPOV**

Rain was coming. I could smell it in the air… feel it in my bones.

Black clouds swirled and boiled in the distance, slowly gathering strength, speeding up the advent of dusk. Bolts of lightning split the sky followed closely by distant rumbles of thunder.

The wide open spaces, the quickly fading sunlight filtering through the thick canopy of trees, the texture of the damp-wet soil beneath my feet, the fragrance of the moisture laden air – called to me on a basic, primitive level. It was almost as if the wildness of nature was calling to a corresponding wildness inside of me.

I felt a bone deep connection; a oneness with my surroundings that was far more powerful than anything I'd felt before. A sizzling… a yearning that went beyond my comprehension, reaching all the way down to my very soul.

I felt alive in a way that I'd never felt before. Every cell, every nerve ending, every synapse in my body snapped with electricity. It was almost as if my body was mimicking the gathering storm. Channeling it.

Adrenaline and testosterone flowed through my veins in gushing torrents; creating a heady cocktail. I'd never felt stronger; faster; more in control. I felt like a God – omnipotent, all powerful… _invincible_. It was the most exhilarating feeling in the world.

Sight, smell, taste, touch… I was reacting to and processing even the smallest, most insignificant stimuli. My eyesight was sharper; my sense of smell, stronger; my ears – able to discern even the slightest sounds of the forest around me.

Every brush of Bella's body against mine was driving me crazy, creating a maelstrom inside of me. My nerve endings were thrumming with awareness… blazingly alive. The fine hair on my body stood on end, as if charged with static energy. I didn't know what was happening to me. I didn't care. The power that ran through me was intoxicating; the best, most potent aphrodisiac in the world.

Suddenly, the silence surrounding us was shattered by a cacophony of howls in the distance.

To the human ear, the sound would've been indistinct… indistinguishable from the normal sounds of the forest. To me, it was a pull to the soul.

I came to an abrupt halt; every cell in my body going on sudden high alert. Each and every hair on my body stood on end. I recognized the sound for what it was; a call… a warning the animals made to each other about the approaching storm; but it made no difference. The wolf clamored inside me; urging me to respond. The desire to phase was there… and surprisingly strong considering that I controlled the wolf, not the other way around. But right now, he was the more aggressive of the two. He was a snarling, clawing presence in my mind; his voice louder than ever before. It would be so easy to give in to the voice… to just go along with his wishes; no thinking, no feeling, no making all the decisions for once. To be free... to just _exist!_ The temptation was almost overwhelming.

A shudder ran through me as I fought off the impulse to burst out of my skin and howl to the skies. It was difficult to resist, insanely so. Even though every instinct in my body screamed that they didn't come from my own pack; the urge, the sheer _need_ I felt to respond to the call, was overwhelming. A large part of me, the animal part; was telling me that no matter who they were, the animals out there were mine, my brethren.

I was intensely conscious of the wolf's dominance. He was wildly feral, completely in control; a predator on the hunt; graceful, stealthy, lethal. I found that I couldn't rein him in easily, not like I usually could. That simple fact should have worried me, but it didn't. I had no clue what had brought this on; this strange disconnect I felt; but I was enjoying it… having every sense magnified a hundred-fold; heightened beyond anything I'd ever experienced before. It felt stunningly good.

And yet, there was also wariness… an edginess that threatened to consume me. The level of awareness I was showing was unheard of… unprecedented even; almost inhuman. In the far reaches of my mind, I knew that there was something off about what I was feeling, what I was experiencing. But the more I tried to focus on it, the more elusive the thought seemed.

There was no conscious thought, no thought process... nothing except the here and the now. Everything was murky… hazy… unclear. Even my memories of what had happened in the cave were foggy. One minute that asshole Vladimir had been threatening to turn Bella (even the memory of that moment was enough to incite me to violence) and the next, I was out here, with Bella in my arms. What the fuck had gone on in between? I didn't know. I couldn't remember. My brain was a jumbled mass of information… discordant, dissonant. There was no understanding, no logic…only feeling and a soothing… seductive presence in my mind, a strange voice urging me to calm down and go with the flow.

Not knowing what had happened or what was happening wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling. The more I tried to sort it out, the more jittery I felt. The excess of energy, the hyper awareness, the holes in my memory… it almost felt like I was high on a powerful drug.

Wait a minute…

A vision flashed across my mind in vivid, colorful detail. Three men and a woman were facing me in a clearing, their eyes filled with doubt and tension. The men… there was a connection there; a recognition. The bond between us was unmistakable. The woman was more of a mystery. I knew her but… the how of it was mired in confusion; obscured by doubt. She wasn't really part of the scene; present, but separate somehow; just standing on the sidelines. I couldn't figure out how or why. One of the guys was saying something to me; both his arms held out in front of his body in a gesture that was clearly meant to pacify.

Something about that gesture was so very familiar. Almost as familiar as the person exhibiting it...

I'd seen him a countless times before, I just knew it. Not only that, I was certain I'd seen him soothe and calm a lot of people over the course of the years.

In a blinding flash of insight, I knew exactly who the person was, who all of them were. _Seth_. He'd been the one speaking to me. Sam had been with him along with Quil and Lisa!

But why had it taken me so much time to place them? They were my brothers, my pack. (Except for Lisa, of course…) I'd shared so much with them. And yet, despite that connection, I'd had trouble recognizing them. Why? Was it because of the disorientation I was experiencing? Had I hit my head in the fight and didn't remember it? Or should my temporary amnesia be attributed to the mysterious circumstances surrounding my escape from Vladimir's clutches?

In order to figure things out, I tried to concentrate on what was being said and done in the vision but to my intense frustration, the only thing I could make out clearly was their demeanor and honestly, that brought up more questions than it answered. Why the hell were they all walking on eggshells around me? What the hell was going on?

I tried to take in more details; tried to see if I could recollect anything else; but just as suddenly as it'd appeared, the vision went away. No, no, no, no, no! I tried to recall the image, tried to recapture it but I came up with a big, fat nothing. My mind was scrubbed totally clean. The only thing left behind was a vague memory of what it had made me feel. Dammit!

My head started pounding in rhythm to my stride. God, I couldn't pin down a single, coherent thought.

A sick feeling bloomed in the pit of my stomach. I was missing something here, something important, something about the vision. I had a funny feeling that that stuff had actually gone down a little while ago. Wait, but if it had, why didn't I remember it clearly? And hadn't Edward been there too…?

Unfortunately it was difficult; damn near impossible to focus on all the discrepancies. My shorts were chafing against my skin; in a way that irritated the hell out of me. I had the overwhelming… burning desire to just rip them off and run gloriously through the trees, unfettered, uninhibited, unrestrained… free as only an animal in the wild can be. It was purely intuitive, completely intense…this craving that I felt. It was almost impossible to ignore or to resist. But resist I did. The reason…? It all came down to the heart wrenchingly beautiful woman nestled snugly in my arms.

Even in this moment of pure existence where nothing mattered but the here and the now; where my thoughts were nothing more than jumbled, incoherent ramblings; there was nothing more important than Bella.

I felt no joy. No triumph, no excitement, no relief… in fact, I felt no emotion at all. There was only the adrenaline and the testosterone flowing through me; creating havoc inside my body and making me feel aggressive…antsy. In _this moment_, I was more animal than man than I'd ever been before; operating solely on impulse… on instinct… and yet _every_ instinct, _every_ thought I had _was her_. She was the only thing that was important. She was the _only_ thing that mattered_._ Everything else could wait.

Blinded to everything but an overpowering, overwhelming, indefinable impulse to put as much distance between us and that sick fuck of a vampire as possible, I focused solely on the fact that I needed to get us to a secure location. I was so fixated on it, that I had no idea how far I ran, or for how long. I had no concept of time… or distance, only the need for more.

Finally, after what felt like forever the lush greenery thinned out and gave way to beautiful snow-covered landscapes that spread out as far as the eye could see. Feeling confident that there was enough distance between Vladimir and Bella for the time being, I decided to stop and seek shelter before either Bella or me (or God forbid, both) keeled over from exhaustion.

Having reached that conclusion, I let my instincts guide me straight towards the snow-capped mountains soaring majestically in the distance. My razor sharp eyes could make out a small shadow in the sheer face of the rock about halfway up the mountainside. Something inside me was telling me that _that_ was where I needed to go.

As I neared it, I saw that there was a small, cave like opening nestled between the jutting rocks. (All things considered it seemed like my best choice for the moment. If nothing else, it would provide shelter and protection against any impending storm.) I headed towards it; following the dictates of my body. Having reached the entrance I hesitated, conscious of the risks involved. I extended my senses… attuned to the slightest signs of danger.

Finding nothing but an empty, uninhabited space, I ducked inside with Bella and laid her down gently on the uneven floor. She protested the sudden lack of warmth but other than that, she remained asleep. Without any conscious thought I gathered heaps of firewood and got a fire going. Even though I would probably manage to keep her warm enough with my body heat, I wasn't taking any chances with Bella's well-being. And I certainly wasn't going to risk a repeat of that awful night in the tent before the battle with Victoria and her newborn army. I'd rather she swelter than freeze.

In the interest of staying hidden and to keep any snow from drifting into our safe haven; I also snapped several low-lying branches off the trees and used them to form a rudimentary camouflage/cover for the cave opening. Only after I was satisfied that we were safe for the night did I allow myself to relax and take a good long look at Bella.

A saner; logic-driven part of me couldn't help but be baffled by my actions. Even a moron could've told me that the first thing I should've done, as soon as we'd cleared the vamp's territory, was to take her to a doctor and get her checked out. Sure, her body showed no obvious wounds or other signs of abuse. But, that didn't mean squat. Who knew what was going on beneath the surface; what that cocksucker had actually put her through? And yet, knowing this, I don't think I could've altered my course of action. I felt a choking sense of careening out of control; almost like my thoughts, my decisions and my actions weren't my own. I was just a mindless object; operating solely on raw animal instinct.

A low moan escaped her lips; a sign of her restlessness… her distress. The instant the noise reached my ears, the confusion and disorientation within me crystallized into a moment of blinding clarity. All my attention snapped to her. She seemed restless, unsettled. "Shh, ssshhh sweetheart…" I soothed, smoothing her hair gently. "I'm right here. I've got you…"

If I'd hoped that my touch would help to relax her I was sorely disappointed. It seemed to have the exact opposite effect. She thrashed around agitatedly, as if trying to get away from something… or some_one_. My emotions went haywire. Oh God, was she hurt? In pain? Had that sick fuck done something else to her; something I didn't know about? He hadn't violated her, had he…? Just the thought of Bella being hurt like that was unbearable. I almost doubled over from the pain. No, no… I was just overreacting. I _had_ to be.

Overwhelmed by a sense of panic and desperation I eased myself down beside her, taking her in my arms. She aligned her body to mine and finally, _finally_ her restless movements stilled. It seemed as if she _knew_ that she was safe here, protected… as if she knew that I'd die before I let anything else happen to her.

She settled into my side and just like that… almost as if by magic, the hard knot of emotion in my chest eased. The chaos silenced. The raw, animalistic edge, soothed. All the tension in my body flowed out as if a drain had been unplugged inside of me.

With the absence of the single minded focus that'd taken over my life for the last twelve odd hours, I almost came undone. The fear, the absolute terror I'd suppressed for so long threatened to come gushing out.

I tightened my arms around her; crushing her to me and synchronized my breaths with hers. In. Out. In. Out. Her steady, regular heartbeats lulled me into a sense of calm.

She was safe. She was _here_. She was safe…

A feeling of rightness; of happiness and well-being invaded my limbs and brought with it a deep, pervasive peace. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt like I was right where I belonged.

Instinctively, I buried my nose in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. Her scent – a mixture of honeysuckle and wild berries – invaded my nostrils wreaking havoc with my equilibrium. Drunk on the feel of her in my arms my lips opened on her skin with no conscious thought on my part. My tongue lapped at her neck, savoring her very essence. As the taste of her exploded in my mouth, my canines tingled sharply. Out of nowhere, I found myself battling with the sudden, irresistible urge to sink my teeth into her; to bite down hard.

"_That's right…"_ A disembodied voice whispered in the deep recesses of my mind. _"Go ahead. She's our mate. Claim her!"_

What the _fuck_? The voice was familiar and yet, not. It sounded like me but it was also, altogether different. It had a seductive, lilting tenor to it, an almost invasive presence as it brushed through my mind. I didn't know how else to describe it except that it was freaking the hell out of me! I shuddered: feeling violated.

"_Easy there brother. I mean you and yours, no harm. Trust me."_

_Trust_ the voice…? Oh hell no! _Fuck_ no! Nothing good could _ever_ come out of hearing voices in your head.

"_But you _did _trust me a while back. You trusted me to get Bella out of that mess and I delivered, didn't I? What's more you've trusted me for a whole lot longer than that. Just listen to your instincts and let me take care of the rest..."_

I ignored the last bit for the moment; choosing to focus more on the earlier part of the statement. "_You_ got us out of there? Who the fuck _are_ you?" I questioned incredulously before realizing how ridiculous this whole thing was! I was _talking_ to the voice in my head! Just fucking peachy, wasn't it?

"_Relax, brother. Close your eyes. Listen closely. Pay attention. What does your gut tell you?"_

It was almost impossible to ignore the suggestion, even harder to deny it. Unable to stop it, my eyes drifted shut of their own accord. Concentrating hard, I willed the voice back into existence.

"_You should not have been able to do that." Confusion. A slight tinge of respect. "Not for a long time, if ever. But then, you've always been special, haven't you? No one commands me. Yet you did so, easily enough. You're stronger than I anticipated, young Alpha." _

As I heard the lazy drawl, something clicked into place. The wolf. It was my wolf speaking, not a stranger. God!

"_Ding, ding, ding! Give the boy a prize!" _

What? How? Jesus! This wasn't possible, was it? Holy fucking hell, it couldn't be. It just couldn't! I was losing my mind! Yup, that was it. Everything that had gone on today had caused me to snap…

"_You're not losing your mind." He interrupted my nervous mental ramblings. "I've been with you since the first time you phased, boy. Not in any overt, obvious way, granted, but there nonetheless. But now, due to today's unforeseen circumstances, it seems that I'm able to take a more; shall we say; active role in your life than I could earlier." _

I panicked. Big time. I'd never wanted to be a wolf, even part time. But now… to have this, _this animal _in my head; to talk to him and have him talk back; to be conscious of his presence…? God, it was unthinkable… untenable.

"_Well, I think I've just been thoroughly offended!" _He declared; the thread of amusement in voice, unmistakable.

"Well, boo-fucking-hoo! Look, I don't care what you are or how you got here! Just go back to where you came from, okay? I don't want you around!"

"_Well, I'm not exactly thrilled about this either! You think I like having to share my thoughts, my decisions with someone else? Fuck no! But guess what…? We're stuck with each other, at least for the near future! So I suggest you suck it up and deal with it!"_

Stunned; I ignored the sarcastic drawl. What the fuck was going on here? What did he mean stuck together? He was kidding right? How did I get into this predicament? God, why me?

"_Oh, I think I can clarify those matters for you right away. Please, allow me."_

Frankly, I had no choice in the matter. That was the problem with having voices in your head. You couldn't very well walk away from them now, could you?

"_Hard luck, big guy" _The wolf went on; sounding more and more amused by the second. Brilliant, just freaking brilliant. Well at least one of us was having fun!

"Fuck off!" I growled out loud.

"_Now, now… there's no call for that kind of a language. Believe it or not, I'm on your side and it'll be easier on both of us if you cooperate. After all, we do have to share the same brain!"_

"Very Funny! So, do you intend to make yourself useful or do you just enjoy making my life hell?"

Abruptly, the tenor of the conversation changed, became more serious._ "On the contrary Jacob, I have no interest in tormenting you. I only want to help. Like I said earlier, I've always been with you, ever since your transformation. You or shall I say, a part of you knows this to be true because you've felt my presence before…resented it even. But, you've never before directly been able to hear me because there was a sort of a barrier in your mind that kept us separate. A curtain, if you will. I was only ever given free rein in the heat of battle. But tonight, whatever the witch did to us; the magic she used to drain us of our power; it brought the whole barrier crashing down."_

"So, that sudden burst of power…?" I questioned, stunned. "That was you…?"

"_Yes and no. I was in control at the time but even I couldn't have defeated the leech all by myself. Even I don't have that kind of power, unfortunately. I channeled the power of our pack into us. I'm sure you felt it...that sudden burst of seemingly endless energy."_

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I hadn't even known such a thing was possible. It sounded like something right out of the pages of a science fiction novel.

The wolf, of course, sensed my disbelief. _"It is possible, very much so. But like all sources of power; it is not without repercussions. Siphoning off that kind of power from your pack leaves the pack members weak and powerless, at least for a while. So, as you can imagine, it isn't an advisable course of action in most circumstances. But in times like the one in the cave; where you didn't have much of a choice; the extra power comes in rather handy._

Jesus… why was I only hearing about this now? I could've used this kind of power in the past. To think about the things I could do with this kind of a power… the possibilities were endless. Of course, the rest of the pack losing their powers, even temporarily wasn't ideal… "Wait, do I have to channel the whole pack every time? Can't I choose to take power from just a select few?"

"_You're asking all the right questions, young alpha. A strong enough alpha can do what you said and pick the pack members that he wants to take power from. But it's a tricky process. And it takes a lot of power and concentration. I'll show you how it's done once things settle down. But right now, Bella's safety; her well-being is our topmost priority."_

Now that was something that both I and my wolf could agree upon. Nothing else was as important, as critical. I still couldn't get over the fact that I'd allowed her to be taken…had allowed her to be hurt in this way. Never again. I'd do everything in my power to ensure that she was protected…that she was safe. I'd die before I let anything happen to her; I would. I would make damn sure that she wouldn't so much as stub a toe on my watch in the future. God, the fact that that monster had had her for more than ten hours was killing me!

Against my will, my gaze drifted to her face. Every line of her body seemed to reveal her exhaustion. Her face was lined; strained. She looked as if she'd aged decades in the small amount of time she'd been with that bastard. And it wasn't as if her face had changed. No, it wasn't that. It was more the way she held herself. Even asleep, I could see a weariness in her that hadn't been there before. Fuck! Once again, I felt like destroying something, preferably that fucking bloodsucker.

Thankfully, the upheaval of the last few hours appeared to have worn her out and she was recuperating by doing the only thing she could – sleeping. In fact, the moment we'd stepped out of the lair, she'd burrowed her head into the crook of my arm and drifted off. But it hadn't been a restful slumber. She'd been troubled… restless. No wonder after everything she'd been through. And yet, for all that, she hadn't seemed afraid. It was almost as if, even in her state of unconsciousness, she'd known that I'd protect her…that I'd never let anything happen to her. There had been such naked trust in the way she'd snuggled into my arms…such complete faith.

Just thinking back on it, my heart clenched in my chest. She was it, my everything. There was no escaping that thought now… no denying it. Every cell, every molecule in my body was screaming my need for her.

Yet, despite this need coursing through my body, I knew that what I was feeling wasn't imprinting. No… I knew what that felt like from Sam's thoughts and from Jared's. This wasn't it. This was different… but no less intense. Love, lust, need… the feelings spread through me like wildfire. Even my emotions felt more acute… magnified.

As usual the wolf had a ready answer. _"You're right about one thing. This, what we feel for her, it has nothing to do with imprinting. It's bigger than that. Much bigger. She's our mate; she always has been. We knew, even before we came into existence that she was meant for us. If there is such a thing as a soulmate, she's ours. It's as simple as that." _

My mind recoiled from the thought. Mates, imprints, destiny – all these words had very bad connotations as far as I was concerned. Heartbreak. Loneliness. Utter and complete despair. That's all there was to it. Everything else; all the romantic notions that surrounded these concepts were just bullshit and frankly they all left a very bad taste in my mouth. "No she isn't. Not really." I denied vehemently.

"_You tell yourself that if you need to." The wolf chided. "Your body; your heart knows better. __**I **__know better. Haven't you ever wondered why you loved her so completely, so irrevocably at such a young age? When she chose the leech over you, why were so heartbroken? You were sixteen, for God's sake, you could have easily moved on. Haven't you wondered why you could never do that? You know I'm right Jakey boy. If she was just another girl, why haven't you had a single serious relationship since she left? Six years is a long time, by anyone's standards."_

"Hey, I'll have you know, I've had lots of relationships in the last six years!" I defended myself half-heartedly.

And then I had the unique and slightly disturbing experience of feeling a part of my psyche roll eyes at me from inside my own head. _"Bullshit! A few dozen one night stands do not a relationship make! You've gone to great lengths to avoid any and all emotional entanglements and you know it."_

I chose to stay silent seeing as how I didn't really have an appropriate response to that anyway. Besides, anything I said could and most likely _would_ be used to incriminate me in the future.

"_You love Bella." _He went on convincingly._ "You always have. I don't know why you're fighting it…"_

Once again, I couldn't deny his words. After all, I'd reached the same conclusion already. I _did_ love her. I'd never stopped loving her. Of course accepting the fact and doing something about it were two entirely different things. But he didn't need to know that, did he?

Taking my silence as tacit agreement the wolf went on. _"God, you have no idea how excruciatingly difficult it has been waiting and watching you destroy the best thing that's happened to us in our entire lifetime! And if you think I'm going to allow you to continue pushing her away, you're crazy! She's ours, and she belongs by our side. I'm going to ensure that tonight, brother!"_

That got my attention like nothing else. "Oh no, you won't!" My entire body shook with rage. As gently as I could, I disengaged myself from Bella and pulled away. I was too incensed, too raw to be this close to her. I wasn't worried about phasing accidently and hurting her (I'd rather gouge my eyes out than do anything of the sort) but nonetheless, I wasn't taking any chances with her safety. Making sure that she was well rested and comfortable, I stepped away from her.

As soon as I was at a reasonably safe distance away from her I eased the tight leash off of my emotions and allowed the anger to flow freely. How dare he interfere? How dare he try to take over? This was _my_ life, ergo _my_ decision! There was no way I was letting him take such an important choice away from me, no fucking way! With a monumental effort of will I pushed him into the background, erecting solid walls in my mind to keep him confined.

"_Impressive… very impressive. But this doesn't really change anything, you know that, right? You might have succeeded in locking me out, but the fact remains that we need her. I think it's time to stop deluding yourself young alpha…" He taunted in a fading whisper._

"Yeah, _fuck you!_"

He didn't know what he was talking about! So I'd been almost insane with worry over her tonight, so what? And fine, I'd risked everything; my life, my pack; in an effort to get her back safely. It didn't mean that I had some kind of mystical connection with her! Fuck no! I wouldn't allow myself to get so attached to her. She had a goddamn knack for turning my emotions on their head and using them to gut me hollow. No way was I letting her break me this time around!

A sarcastic laugh boomed inside my head. The fucker! He was just having a ball at my expense wasn't he?

And yet… it was hard for me to reject the bastard's claims completely. I mean, look at the emotions she evoked in me. Everything from murderous rage to insane jealousy to 'can't breathe through it' love were par for the course for me as far as Bella was concerned. Looking into her face right now, I had a hard time believing that I'd stayed away from her for so long…that I'd actually let her go all those years ago! And I honestly couldn't fathom why I was holding myself back from her _now_ when it was very clear to everyone concerned, especially me, how I really felt about her! Talk about being an utter moron! For fuck's sake, why hadn't I told her yet how much I loved her; how much she meant to me…? What if I'd lost her tonight? What if I'd never have been able to tell her what I felt? Just the thought of it was agonizing…

Despite the hole in my memories, I could still vividly recall the moment that bastard had put his hands on her. I'd never felt such rage and hatred as I'd felt in that one moment. In that instant, I wouldn't have hesitated in dismembering the fucker in the most painful way possible. The wolf growled his approval at my blood thirstiness. (Brutality, viciousness… they were second nature for him and I had his full-fledged approval on my descent into such emotions.)

Even now, I could smell him on her; his foul stench sullying her sweetness. The thought of him anywhere near her… It was damn near unbearable!

That's it. I couldn't stay away from her anymore, I just couldn't. Shaking like an addict in withdrawal I crawled back to where she lay, still sleeping on the ground. Following an instinct that rose deep within me, I wrapped myself around her once again. Immediately, the itching, crawling sensations went away. So did the uncontrollable rage.

I glanced at her once again; trying to reassure myself that she was safe. What I saw when I looked down at her brought my entire world to a grinding halt.

In her efforts to get comfortable she'd moved around a little. That action had dislodged the sheet I'd wrapped around her so carefully; exposing two tiny pinpricks that marred the otherwise smooth perfection of her neck.

Son of a bitch! That cocksucking, motherfucking son of a bitch!

It didn't take a genius to figure out what the marks meant. I knew immediately what they signified. That asshole _motherfucker_ hadn't just dared to touch her, to hurt her; he'd _fed_ from her.

White, incandescent rage ignited in me… murderous, all consuming. It ate through my gut like acid…raged through my veins like a spark on gasoline. The wolf went berserk. A blind haze descended on my eyes. The fucker would die. A horrific, painful, horrendous death. I'd dig out his eyeballs with a blunt spoon. I'd tear strips of skin off his flesh and burn them right in front of his eyes. I'd castrate the bastard; tear his balls off one at a time and then feed them to him! I'd break his bones again and again till they refused to heal anymore. He'd yearn for death; beg for it! I didn't care how old he was… or how strong. I swore it on my mother's grave. I swore it on my love for Bella. He'd pay. The asshole would pay.

For once, the wolf and I were in complete accord.

How dare he touch her? She was ours dammit! By her own admission, she belonged to me; to _us_ and no one except us was allowed to lay even a finger on her! Not now, not ever!

Son of a bitch! There was no controlling the murderous thoughts. I recoiled back from her; unable to go on holding her while I was feeling like this. If, for any reason, I lost my tenuous control over my emotions, the results could be catastrophic.

Putting as much distance between us as the close confines of the cave allowed me to, I paced back and forth like a caged animal, trembling with the intense desire to sink my teeth into the bastard who'd dared to touch, to _defile _what was mine. The jitters increased. I wanted to tear him apart; to dismember him inch by tiny fucking inch. I fought the overwhelming urge to tear the world apart and burn it down to ashes!

A wild possessiveness clawed through my gut. It was hard to say how much of it was mine and how much the wolf's. And honestly, did it really matter? We both wanted to possess her, to own her… body and soul; like she owned us. We wanted to keep her by our side for all eternity. We wanted to declare to the world that she was ours and ours alone. We wanted to lay claim to her.

The litany inside my head was endless. Mine…mine… mine… It was damn near impossible to ignore.

A brief moment of sanity broke through the haze in my mind. What the hell was the matter with me? I was totally out of control! And where the hell were all these insanely outdated ideas coming from? I wasn't a chauvinist… I really wasn't. I didn't buy into all this owing crap. (Leah would've kicked my ass a long time ago if I had. She was totally into equality for women and all that associated hoopla…) Women weren't possessions to be owned; no, they were human beings. And yet, at this particular moment, I didn't much care if I sounded like a jealous, domineering, territorial prick; I just wanted everyone to know that Bella was mine. There was a part of me that reveled at the thought of marking her. Heck, I didn't even care about her opinion on the subject. I didn't want to ask her if it was okay with her; like a civilized person should. I just wanted to do it… to claim her as mine, everything else be damned.

"Jake…?" She groaned, coming awake slowly. Oh shit! I froze in place. Not now, please not now… I begged silently. Sleep for a little while longer. I was in no way, shape or form ready to deal with her right now. I was too unstable, too out of control.

She refused to heed my silent urges; coming awake by slow degrees. Guess I was fresh out of luck, huh?

"Whe…?" Her voice gave out. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Where are we?"

I returned to her side instantly, dropping down to my knees beside her. "You're…" I choked. "We're safe." My throat was tight with unshed tears. "Are you alright?" I asked, brushing her hair as gently as I could manage.

"Ye… yes I think so…" She was clearly disoriented. Fuck! What the hell was I doing? I should've taken her home. Or to a hospital. Or at the very least to a doctor. _Fuck!_

"Wha… what happened? Why are we here?" She registered the sheet draped around her body. A hot blush bloomed on her cheeks. And yet, when the next question came, the panic in it was unmistakable. "Why am I _naked_?"

"You don't remember…?" I hedged; unable to meet her eyes.

Her eyebrows scrunched in concentration. "I… we were at your apartment…?" I nodded, silently urging her to continue. "I… I woke up in the middle of the night and you were gone… Oh my God… Dunkan…!" She went painfully white. "Vladimir!" She gasped, no longer confused. The fear in her eyes was all too alive. "He's not a dream Jake. He's real…" She moaned pathetically; her breath suddenly going out of whack.

I braced myself for the accusations and the recriminations that I knew were coming. It wasn't as if they were undeserved. _I_ had left her alone._ I_ had let her get taken._ I_ had almost gotten her killed. All of it, my fault. God, how could I have been so… _Fuck!_ No matter how angry she was with me, it could be nothing in comparison to how angry I was with myself!

"Bella… what did he do?" God, I hated having to ask, but I had to know. I just had to! Whoever said ignorance was bliss hadn't experienced this. The not knowing was driving me crazy! "Did he..." Long pause. "…_hurt_ you?" I whispered, forcing the vile words out of my mouth.

She started panting heavily right on the verge of a panic attack. Her big brown eyes pooled with tears.

God, no! Please… NO! Being kicked in the nuts would've been less painful. Or having a limb amputated. Hell, even a castration would've been more bearable. Any and all of those options would've been infinitely more preferable to this.

My destroyed expression gave her ample warning of the direction my thoughts had taken. "Jake, no!" She gasped. "Please don't think… he didn't…he didn't do _that_. I swear to you!"

The relief threatened to overwhelm me. Oh thank the sweet, merciful Lord!

"He just… he would've, if he had the opportunity, I know that." She murmured, the sorrow in her voice very pronounced. "He wanted to own me. He said I belonged to him. I don't know how, but he knew that we'd, you know…" She blushed to the roots of her hair. "…been together. And he was so angry… so upset with me for that…" She trailed off, lost in the own thoughts.

Fuck, fuck, FUCK! That fucking asshole rat-bastard!

"You saved me…" She interrupted my internal tirade; a slight tinge of awe evident in her voice. "_How?_ He… he said it was impossible. He told me he'd never let me go. He told me he'd _kill_ you for touching me and that he'd make me watch it. He said he'd kill _all _the people I'd ever loved. My mom and dad, you, the pack, the Cullen's…" The desperation in her voice nearly killed me. "But you're not dead. And you saved me. Does that mean he's dead…?" The naked hope in her voice was difficult to miss.

Again with the guilt, dammit! I _should_ have killed him. I should have _butchered_ him for what he did to her. Instead I'd allowed him to get away, goddammit! Well time to suck it up and fess up to yet another failure. "I'm sorry honey. I had to get you out of there and the leech got away. But I promise you, on my mother's grave, that I'll rip the bastard apart for what he did to you!" I vowed fiercely.

She looked at me with those lovely, chocolaty eyes of hers and gave me a small smile. "You got me out of there. That's enough. And as far as making sure the bastard rots in hell…? I have no doubt that you will."

My heart clenched in my chest with equal parts pride and sorrow. (Pride because clearly, she had a backbone forged in steel. Whoever or whatever she'd been before she'd gone through this ordeal; the experience had clearly changed her irrevocably, made her stronger. She wasn't going to let this break her, she was fighting back. Damn if it wasn't amazing to see her this way. Take that Eddie boy! The woman you wanted to wrap up in a cocoon and coddle to within an inch of her life has finally broken free and found her wings. And she would never ever go back to being the same, sheltered, helpless Bella again; I was certain of that. And while I exulted in her newfound strength, I also couldn't help but wish that it'd come under different, better circumstances. And _that _was the reason behind the sorrow. She shouldn't have had to face this, period!) But, for all my strength and power, I couldn't turn back the clock. So I smiled back at her; masking my anger and pain behind the relief I was feeling. She didn't hate me, even though she had every right to. And _that_ for now was enough.

The delusion only lasted until my gaze drifted to the graceful column of her neck marred by those awful, atrocious puncture marks once again. They didn't appear as inflamed as they had a little while ago (they were healing at an almost miraculous rate) but just the fact that they were there… Mother_fucker_!

The frayed control I'd maintained on my emotions snapped. She wasn't at fault really. No one was (Except maybe that prick leech!) It was just that I'd been on a roller coaster ride of emotions for the last god knows how long and seeing her awake and well had finally pushed me over the edge.

Add to that the brutal 'in your face' reminder of what'd been done to her; and it only served to make matters worse! (Worse than they already were that is…) His scent was all over her dammit! That fucking bastard of a bloodsucker had left an unmistakable imprint of himself on her wherever he'd touched her. He'd seen her naked! He'd had his filthy, undead hands all over her body! The thought drove me _wild_! This close to her, I could smell him with every breath I took! And _that_ to me was simply unbearable, untenable and completely, utterly unacceptable!

I tried dealing with the situation in a calm, controlled, rational manner, I really did. I tried to be mature and adult about it (I'd got her out; safe and sound and that's what mattered…or so I tried to tell myself…) but there was only so much a guy could handle, you know?

Frantically, I tried to stop the oncoming onslaught of emotion, but it was a losing battle. The rage was too strong, the feelings; too powerful. Really, it felt like I was trying to bank the rush of water from a dam after it'd burst. A minute too late and a dollar short; that's what the effort felt like. And just as totally fucking useless.

Uncannily perceptive that she was, she sensed the battle raging within me. "What? Jake, what's wrong?"

"He _touched_ you!" I snarled, nearly shaking with rage. "He… bit…" I couldn't articulate any further.

Turns out, I didn't have to. She immediately understood what I was talking about as was evidenced by the way she clutched her neck as if trying to hide the bite marks from my gaze. Her eyes clouded over with fear…and sorrow. "Maybe if I'd done things differently…fought Dunkan harder…" She trailed off. "God, I should've never opened the door without looking."

Of all the stupid…! I walked over to her in two strides and gathered her into my arms. "Listen to me very carefully, okay Bella…? This _wasn't_ your fault! _None_ of what happened tonight was _your_ fault. If there's anyone to blame for this disaster, it's me. I should've never left you alone, no matter what. I should've been there to protect you!" She opened her mouth to protest. "Trust me, Bella. I'm the one to blame here, not you. You… you were incredible! I saw the apartment… I _saw_ how hard you fought. And even though the thought of you fighting that monster scares the crap out of me, I'm still so proud of you honey. You were so brave sweetheart… so very brave."

Her doe eyes pooled over. "I hate that he touched me Jake! I hate that I still remember the way his hands felt on me…" I couldn't stop the vicious snarl from escaping my lips. "My skin still crawls!" She shuddered. "I've never been so scared in my entire life, Jake! I… I thought I was going to die. I thought I'd never see you again…" She hiccupped.

With an urgency borne out of desperation and fear; I pounced on her. It might not have been the most ideal reaction given the circumstances, but her words just brought home the fact that she'd almost died tonight. I'd almost lost her! I needed her… I needed to prove to myself that she was still alive. But even more that I wanted to make her forget… to make her feel safe.

And then there was the intense desire… the burning _need_ to wipe him off of her. His smell, his touch, his memory. I needed to obliterate his very presence from her mind…from her life. I just _had_ to!

"Wha…?" I smothered her startled exclamation with my mouth.

The contact was explosive. My skin tightened, my breath shortened. My heart raced in my chest. Heightened feelings. Heightened emotions.

I nipped at her plump lower lip even as my tongue lapped greedily at them, seeking entrance. The desperation was palpable…a living, breathing entity that threatened to swallow me whole.

A moan sounded. I couldn't make out if it came from my throat or hers. All I could distinguish was the wild elation and triumph that ran through me when her lips parted. I thrust my tongue into her mouth in a gesture of pure possession. Her lips, her mouth, her tongue… they were sweet nirvana. I'd have gladly killed (or died) for the pleasure of tasting her forever! I thrust both hands into her hair; using the grip to hold her in place as I plundered her mouth with my own.

Greedy, greedy… God, I was so greedy for her. I couldn't get enough, not of her taste, not of her touch. I had to have more.

We were both gasping for breath by the time I finally pulled back. And yet, it wasn't enough. It was nowhere close to enough!

"Mine!" I growled forcing her to look deep into my eyes so that there was no room for confusion. The intensity I was projecting must've overwhelmed Bella because she appeared to be shocked speechless. Well good. She needed to understand this once and for all. "You're _mine!_" The declaration was domination; pure and simple; and it brooked no argument.

(Really, there was no appropriate response to that. No protest, no argument she could've made that would've made me change my mind. I wasn't asking a question. I wasn't asking for permission. I wasn't _asking _at all. I was just stating a goddamn simple fact. Archaic, I know. Antiquated? Outdated…? Perhaps. But the way I looked at it, facts were facts. And the fact was; she was _mine._ Unequivocally. Completely.)

Thankfully, she didn't seem to be in the mood to argue the point (Not that it would've mattered much if she had… There was no way I could've stopped myself, no matter the situation. The control I prized myself on was long gone.)

Riding an intense rush of emotions I bunched the satin sheet I'd wrapped around her so lovingly and ripped it right down the middle.

"Jake!" She gasped, starting at the barely suppressed violence of the gesture.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. I was too busy drinking in her splendid nakedness that was laid bare to my hungry gaze. The first glace was literally like a punch to the gut.

Instant heat. Blistering, blazing, _scorching_. A conflagration that threatened to consume me, consume us both, whole. I'd seen her before; been with her on two separate occasions where there'd been absolutely no room for modestly, shyness or shame between us (so of course I'd seen everything there was to see already); but for some reason it felt like I was seeing her for the first time today. And holy… _fuck_, she was _exquisite!_

Waves of lust poured through me along with a healthy dose of ownership. I wanted to _take her_… to_ claim her._

In my mind's eye I could clearly see what that would entail – see us writhing together mindlessly on the uneven floor as I pumped my hard, throbbing length into her wet, slick heat. The image fired my nerve endings with liquid heat. I had to have her right now, right this very minute or I'd die.

Desperately craving the taste of her, I latched onto the nearest available expanse of her skin, which happened to be her shoulder. Her tangy-tart taste filled my senses making me groan loudly. God, she tasted as rich and dark as the best chocolate in the world. She was as heady as fine wine and as smooth as scotch. I wanted to feast on her.

She writhed mindlessly against me; pushing me further and further down the path to madness. Fuck, she'd always been gloriously responsive but the way she was reacting now; to the slightest variation in my ministrations; was enough to drive me completely wild.

On a vicious oath, I snagged her waist and yanked her into me unceremoniously so that we were pressed together thigh to chest. Oh Jesus God… I almost came right there and then! The feel of her naked body against mine was indescribable. Every cell in my body felt like it'd come blazingly alive.

Who the fuck cared about foreplay? I just wanted to slam myself into her again and again until she begged for mercy.

Unable to hold back I grabbed greedy handfuls of her; cupping, squeezing, getting re-acquainted with her lush curves. She was smooth as satin, liquid gold wherever I touched her. I was beyond finesse or gentleness. All I cared about was gorging myself on her; driving her as insane as she'd driven me.

In a move ripe with calculation, I cupped her ass with both of my hands and pulled her into me so that the juncture between her legs came in direct contact with my throbbing length. A jolt of electricity blazed through me.

Her moist heat beckoned me, invited me in. The scent of her arousal tantalized me...testing the limits of my restraint. Holy shit! All I wanted to do…all I _needed_ was to push her legs apart and bury myself to the hilt in her.

The wolf _wanted_. I did too.

I wanted it so badly, in fact, so _desperately_ that I shivered and trembled with the effort to hold back… like an addict in the midst of full-blown withdrawal. Fuck… I took a couple of deep breaths hoping to center myself, to calm myself down.

It worked. Somewhat. Then her nails raked down the length of my back and nearly undid the whole effort. I felt the pleasure/pain right down to my very toes. Naked, uncontrollable lust punched through my system. Jesus _fucking _Christ!

"_Don't!_" I snapped; teetering dangerously on the very edge of desperation. "Don't touch me!" In a lightning fast move, I cuffed both her wrists in one of my hands.

She didn't like having her freedom restricted and she made sure I understood it as she mewled; her face scrunched up in protest. Well, too bad.

"Do you _know_ what you do to me?" I growled. "Every time you touch me I fucking lose my mind! Every time I lay my eyes on you; so soft and sweet and innocent; I want to _devour_ you!" My ravenous lips closed around her naked breast; suckling on her nipple as it pebbled instantaneously in my mouth.

"Uhhh…" Her breathless moan shot straight to my groin causing my cock to throb painfully.

Perfect… so _fucking_ perfect. And _all_ mine.

My hands held her in place while I rained wild, hungry kisses all over her body. Her lips, her throat, her breasts, the sweet valley between them; nothing escaped my notice. Biting, licking, nipping I gorged myself; availing myself of her wonders. And yet… it wasn't enough.

"Tell me you want me, Bella!" I demanded. My hand dipped past her navel, hovering just shy of her dark curls. "Tell me you want me inside you right now!"

"_Please!_" She moaned breathlessly, arching her body towards me in an unconscious plea for gratification.

Normally, it would've been enough. Normally, I wouldn't have been able to deny her anything. But not now… not this time. I needed _more_. I needed the words. Nothing else would do.

"Please what, Bella…? You want me to touch you?" She nodded frantically. "Then, _tell me_." My need made me ruthless. I had no qualms about withholding the one thing that she so desperately wanted. "Say the words Bella."

"Jake _please,_ don't tease!" She sobbed. "You _know_ I want you!"

A dark pleasure flowed through me. Hearing her say that she wanted me… hearing her beg for my touch was oddly satisfying. "Good girl…" I rewarded her obedience by plunging my fingers into her weeping pussy.

"_Jake!_" She purred; undulating sinuously against me.

Holy fuck! The air around us grew fragrant with the scent of her glorious essence. It brought to mind vivid images of her glistening sex spread out for the taking while her juices dripped out of her; warm, honeyed and unbearably delicious.

Just that easily, all my hard earned control faltered. The restraint that I had to exert on myself to keep from taking her right then and there was monumental… much beyond anything I'd ever used before. Fucking hell, she was driving me _insane_!

Operating solely on mindless instinct, I thrust my fingers into her harder… faster…deeper. As she got closer and closer to the peak, her essence intensified, tempting… _tormenting _me with its presence. Like a madman, I pried her legs apart, forcing her glistening sex open for my ravenous gaze.

_Fuck_. _Me_.

Wet, slick, smooth, hot... fuck! _This_ was my definition of heaven!

I was beyond endurance, beyond control, beyond rational thought! With no prelude and no gentleness I dove towards her heated core; swiping my tongue over her smooth outer lips. "_Jake!_" She screamed; her hips bucking upwards in an unconscious plea for more. I obliged her by shoving my tongue deep into her opening. My sole aim – to get drunk on her.

But as always, Bella had other plans. Her specialty was and always had been driving me crazy. And true to form, she proceeded to do just that. At the first touch of my tongue she fell apart; sobbing my name desperately.

Jesus fucking Christ! I could feel the muscles of her core clenching rapidly around my tongue and the sensation was… mind blowing! It made me want to feel her come again, only this time…around my cock.

Unable to hold back even a second longer I flipped her over onto her stomach. The sight of her in this position drove me to distraction. I couldn't stop myself from slowly fisting my cock, my eyes intent of every curve of her body. Oh the things I wanted to do to her….

"On your hands and knees, _now_!" I commanded darkly.

If she was surprised by the abruptness of my order, she didn't say anything. Instead, she struggled unsteadily to obey me. I could see her thighs quivering dramatically – remnants of her recent orgasm – threatening to give out on her. But I was too desperate… too impatient to wait even the short amount of time it'd take her to come down from her high. I needed to be in her right fucking now.

My hands went to her hips, guiding her into the perfect position for me. "There!" I instructed hoarsely. "Now, brace yourself against the wall."

She obeyed blindly.

"Yes…" I hissed darkly as I pushed her legs apart and angled her firm ass towards me. With a sudden, violent thrust, I buried my throbbing cock in her satiny sheath.

Fuckkk… she fit me like a glove; soft, tight, smooth. The angle of penetration was exquisite. I reached so far inside her that it was difficult to make out where she ended and I began. Unable to ignore the impulse; I set a bruising, pounding rhythm intent only on slaking my unquenchable thirst for her.

God, I was so close… so _fucking_ close.

A tremulous moan escaped her lips, furthering my madness. She was glorious… all wanton heat and undisguised want.

"_Mark her. Make her ours."_

I had the undeniable urge to come deep within her, to spill my seed deep inside her womb. I wanted to her mark her with my essence; paint her insides with my come. My scent, my mark... I wanted her to carry them as signs for every bastard out there who wanted her that she belonged to me. Only me. _Always_ me. There was nothing logical about the impulse. It was instinctual, primeval and completely animalistic.

Fueled by a need beyond my own; pushed beyond rationality or logic, I fisted her hair, pulling her head back so that the length of her throat was exposed to me. The fingers of my other hand edged down towards the juncture of her legs and latched unerringly on her clit; flicking it repeatedly.

"Come for me!" I growled the demand into her ear.

She did. Instantly. Gloriously.

Oh fuck! There were no words to describe the sensation of having her come while I was buried cock deep inside her. So tight… so _fucking_ tight!

"Again!" I demanded the moment she came down from her high, continuing to pound into her mercilessly.

"I c…can't!" She sobbed; her body still trembling with aftershocks.

But I was having none of it. "You can… and you _will_." I changed the angle of my thrusts making my movements more deliberate…more intense. All the while, my fingers continued rubbing against her clit furiously. "Now, _come_ for me!"

"Aaaahhhhhh" She shrieked; a slave to my mastery over her body.

Triumphantly I felt her twitching and shuddering around my throbbing length once again; her slick wetness milking me gloriously. I had only a moment to admire the picture she presented all hot and sweaty and mindless before the demands of my own body took over completely.

Unconsciously, I latched onto her neck and bit down. Hard. The taste of her blood exploded on my tongue; rich, luxuriant. Simultaneously my senses exploded around me, a mind numbing haze of pleasure. _"Mine!"_ I howled deafeningly in the narrow confines of the cave as I hurtled right over the edge and into complete oblivion.

* * *

Languorous satisfaction. A deep seated, bone deep sense of contentment. Happiness. Those were the first feelings I registered when I woke up to Bella wrapped snugly in my arms. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt like this… so well rested and fully charged; raring to go. And it wasn't just the physical satisfaction, although that was there in spades. (I'd lost track of the number of times we'd reached for each other during the course of the night…) It was a feeling… a certainty that everything was finally right with my world. The emotional and mental conflict I'd been having over my feelings for Bella had finally been laid to rest. She loved me and I loved her and that was that. I had a feeling that the cheesy, sappy smile I was currently boasting would become a permanent fixture on my face. God, the pack would never let me live it down. Ah well, it was a small price to pay for the pleasure of having Bella in my arms… in my life. _Finally._

Okay, so I knew things weren't all hunky-dory. There were still lots of obstacles in the way… lots of stuff to get over. For one, Vladimir was still out there and there was no way in hell he'd stop trying to get Bella. And then there was the leech…Edward fucking Cullen! Something told me he wasn't going to give up on Bella so easily either. Plus, whatever ordeal Bella had been through at Vladimir's hands, I knew that one night of being with me was nowhere near enough to cure her of its horrors. I wasn't going to delude myself. She'd need more than that… way more, maybe even psychiatric treatment. But one thing I did know… I was going to be there for her all the way, no matter what. I was done fighting my feelings for her.

Smiling softly, I took stock of my surroundings. In the soft, murky light of the approaching dawn, everything looked so serene, so peaceful. Absolute, pin drop silence. Nothing and no one around for miles to disturb our solitude. Definitely no bloodsuckers. This was the life!

Feeling the urge to stretch my stiff limbs, I eased Bella gently onto the floor. She protested the move; loudly, vocally; bringing a blinding smile to my face.

"Shh darling. Go back to sleep. I'll be back in just a minute." I whispered, bending down to press a kiss on her cheek.

As I straightened, my eyes landed on two broken half-moon shaped scars on the side on her neck. _What the fuck? _They looked like… teeth marks…? Again, what the fuck…?

I scrambled around; pushing off the tattered satin sheet covering her body, looking further signs of damage. Angry, livid bruises marked her wrists…and the sides of her waist. Huge, hand shaped bruises at that. Oh God! All my happiness, all the contentment I'd just been basking in drained away. What _were_ those marks? Where had they come from? Not Vladimir, that's for sure or I'd have noticed them on her last night. Then who…? What?

Sudden, blinding memories burst forth behind my eyelids. Memories of pounding into Bella… savagely, brutally. Of biting her. Oh God… oh Jesus! _I'd_ done that to her…? _Me?_ No! No! NO!

"_Oh quit whining already," _came the voice of my alter ego.

And that's when I knew.

"Oh no, no, no, no, NO! What've you done, you bastard?" I snarled.

"_What needed to be done, that's what."_ Was the calm, even reply.

Through the bond, I could sense his feelings of triumph, of ownership. One thought came through loud and clear. _"Ours… For eternity!"_

"You _marked_ her?" I exclaimed, shocked. "Without my knowledge? Without hers?" I couldn't believe it. But more than anything, I was horrified at myself. How in hell could I let this happen? Why hadn't I stopped it somehow?

"_Would you have agreed to it, if I had?"_

"Never! It's a barbaric custom and I can't believe you saddled it on her without her consent."

"_And that's precisely why I didn't tell you, you idiot! I knew you'd put up some asinine moral obstacles in my way and I just couldn't let that happen. You may not see it now, but this is for the best. As far as Bella is concerned… well, she might object at first, but you and I both know that she loves us. She'll come around, eventually. Besides, it's not like I didn't warn you! I told you I was going to make sure she never left our side, didn't I?'_

"So the mark on her throat…?"

"Is the bonding mark. It is a physical manifestation of her bond to us."

Fresh fury pounded in my gut. "You fucking smug egotistical bastard! You _hurt_ her!"

"The bonding mark doesn't hurt…or don't you remember her screams of pleasure when our teeth sank into her creamy flesh?"

"And the bruises…?"

Regret flooded through the bond, swift and all encompassing. _"In the heat of passion I forgot that she was human…and that we are not."_

Oh God. My heart sank. _I'd_ hurt her. _Me_. (Okay well, technically, it was the wolf but since the wolf was my alter ego, it was me. Yeah, it was all fucking complicated. Shit!)

I couldn't believe it. Whatever the wolf did, it was my responsibility. Mine. "That's it! You're never coming near her again… and neither am I!" In that moment, I meant all of it with every breath in my body.

"_You fool, it doesn't work that way! Don't you understand what I've been trying to tell you all along? The bonding mark is used to mark your mate… to assert a claim and it's permanent! It's not going to go away just because you, in all your self-righteous idiocy decide to stay away from her. You need her. We both do. You may not like it but she's vital to our survival now. Staying away from her will just drive us insane."_

The weight of the wolf's revelations settled like dead weight in my gut. "So be it."

Even as I said it, I knew I was chickening out, but I couldn't think of any other way right now. I couldn't even begin to comprehend the enormity of last night's events much less figure out how to deal with them. I knew I was behaving like that wuss; Cullen; but I honestly couldn't think of a better way to keep Bella safe from the repercussions of the wolf's actions. All I knew was that I never wanted to be directly or indirectly responsible for a single scratch on Bella's body ever again. And more than that, more than _anything_ else, I needed time. Time to figure out the ramifications of these developments. Time to figure out how to make things right.

I was utterly resolute as I dragged myself outside the cave and called out to Edward in my mind. _"Edward? Are you there? I need you!"_

"_No! No! I won't allow you to do this. I won't!"_ The wolf's fear, his distress was unmistakable.

I didn't falter. He'd brought this on himself.

"_I did it for us, you moron! Don't you see…? We need her!"_

"I don't care. You did this without asking! You took her choice away! That makes you… me no better than Edward! How could you? You could've asked her, asked me, but why deal with some pesky dissent, right? What's even worse, you _hurt_ her…and I won't ever have that happening again. If that means that I have to hand her over to Edward Cullen, then that's what I'll do!"

Just like I could sense him, he could undoubtedly sense me and he didn't mistake my implacable intent about this decision._ "Noooooo!"_ He howled, frustration and fury foremost in his mind.

I ruthless ignored it…and him.

"_Edward!"_ I sent out another mental feeler; more urgent than the last. _"I have Bella. I need you to look after her, right now! Can you hear me?"_ Ugh! What I wouldn't do for a cell phone right about now! _"If you can, get some clothes or at least a blanket to cover her, will you?"_

Yeah, I might be leaving her in his care but I'd be damned if I'd leave her beautiful body all but exposed to his gaze. I wasn't _that _generous.

"_Please don't do this. Please."_ All the bravado had faded from the wolf's voice. Now he was all pleading compliance. _"Think about it Jacob. You love her. You can't live without her. I just ensured that you'd have her forever. How is that wrong?"_

Apparently guilt was to be my constant companion henceforth. "We're done with this conversation." I barked.

"_I wasn't kidding about the going crazy part. We can't… literally can't live without her now."_

"Well that's my problem, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll find a way to deal with it. I survived six years without her; I'll survive in the future too. And if that means going crazy, then that's fine. But I can't force myself on her. I won't!"

"_Fine, so you insist on being a moron, but does it have to be him? You know how he feels about her. You know he won't hesitate to take her away from us the first chance he gets!_"

Okay, so I couldn't exactly deny the wolf's logic.

"_Of course you can't, because you know that I'm right! If you have to leave her with someone, why can't it be Sam? Or Jared? They're both more than qualified for the job _and_ they're happily imprinted!"_

"Because, I can't think of anyone else who'd protect her as diligently, can you? He'd die before he let anything happen to her, and you know it!"

For once the wolf was silent. I could sense that he was still uneasy at the course of action I'd undertaken but he couldn't dispute the validity of my logic either.

Edward's sudden appearance put an end to the matter. I was sure I'd hear a lot more on the subject from my wolfy alter ego but for now I chose to shove him to the back of my mind.

The leech was a mere shadow in the early morning light, pale, shimmering, ghostly. His body language spoke of distrust and wariness as he stood off about five hundred yards from me. I couldn't blame him for not coming closer. Apparently, I'd attacked him pretty viciously last evening. "You called…?" he asked in that oh-so-prissy tone of his.

God, I couldn't believe I was actually doing this! The losing my mind shit must be right. "I have to leave." I spoke out loud. "And I need you to look after Bella, take her back home…"

"Why?" He questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion.

In no mood to answer his question, I stalked back to the cave entrance mutely, battling my instincts all the way. What the _hell_ was I doing? There _had_ to be something else I could do… some other way…

No, there wasn't.

"_Yes, there is!" _The wolf pleaded; taking advantage of my momentary misgivings. _"Don't do this, please…"_

Dammit, he was getting more and more difficult to ignore! And yet… what else _could_ I do?

Immersed as I was in my own grief, I didn't notice that the leech's sharp gaze had landed on the bruises on Bella's body. Combined with the scent of sex permeating the air, he had no problem arriving to the right conclusion about the reason behind the marks. "What the _hell_ have you done, you bastard?" He snarled.

I just looked on blankly, unable to focus on anything except the pain I was experiencing. (I couldn't really pinpoint how much of it was mine and how much was the wolf's. Did it really matter anyway? We both loved her. And we were both dying at the thought of leaving her.)

"_Answer_ me!" The leech thundered; grabbing onto my arm aggressively.

It was like adding an accelerant to an already blazing inferno. Stupid move. Very stupid.

All my grief, all the anger came to a head. Spewing obscenities I spun around, picked him up and threw him against the wall. Before he could regain his balance, I had him pinned to the wall. "Shut the _fuck_ up, _asshole_ and listen to me good." I snarled viciously. "You do _not_ want to _mess_ with me right now. Just do as I say and count your blessings that Bella still cares about you in her own unique way and that_ I_ care about _her_!"

The leech gave a mirthless smirk. "I must say I find your behavior extremely baffling wolf boy. But then, I've found that most humans do tend to have the most inexplicable reactions."

"What the fuck are you going on about?" I roared.

"You, you idiot! You're just going to _leave_…?" The leech questioned. "After everything you said about loving her more than life itself; after all those self-righteous lectures about how I should never have left her after her eighteenth birthday fiasco, you're just going to _abandon_ her? No explanations; no 'I'll see you around'…? Is this your way of showing her how much you care, huh?" He scoffed.

"Listen here you self-righteous, sanctimonious _prick_, you don't know how thin a thread I'm hanging by right now. So shut up and shut up right fucking now, or I swear to God, you're going to find out firsthand what it means to go head to head with a feral werewolf!"

"Oh please!" He scoffed. "You don't scare me, _boy_!"

"Well, you should! I'll tear you apart lime to limb and I'll take great pleasure in doing so…" I snarled.

I don't know if it was my tone of voice or the way I spoke but the leech took me seriously for once. He froze in my hold, allowing his body to go completely lax. It was absolutely the right thing to do. All the anger and aggression sapped out of me; leaving me feeling drained and empty. I loosened my grip on him just enough for him to break free of my hold.

I had to get out of here before my resolve faltered. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to leave at all and that would be so, _so_ not good.

With a heavy heart I turned around and made my way towards the cave opening; taking care not to spare a single glance in Bella's direction. I was strong sure, but even my strength had limits!"

The moment there was sufficient distance between us, the leech couldn't resist a final jab. "I always knew it'd come to this. I _knew_ you were dangerous. I told her…told both of you time and time again that you would hurt her, but did either of you listen…? No. And now, here we are… you running away with your tail between your legs and leaving me to pick up the pieces…"

His words were like poisoned barbs; designed to inflict the most damage. And even though a large part of me knew that they weren't true, it just felt easier to agree than to argue. I was worn out…disheartened. I just didn't have the strength to go through a whole roller coaster ride of emotions…at least not right now.

Taking these issues into consideration, I smothered all my feelings and answered him tonelessly, "Yes, you did warn us, didn't you? Well, congratulations. Turns out you were right."

The triumphant look on the leeches face was pure, unadulterated torture. It took everything in me to resist throwing him out and taking off with Bella. But somehow, against all odds, I found the strength to resist.

Determined to do the right thing, I turned around and concentrated on putting one step ahead of the other. With every stride I took, the wolf howled and raged inside me; begging, _pleading_ with me to change my mind.

"No can do mate…gotta face the consequences of your actions…"

I paused at the entrance of the cave, still not willing to turn around. "Take care of her leech, or so help me God…" I warned harshly.

Wracked by guilt and utter, all-encompassing despair, I walked away into the early morning sunlight.

**A/N: -So, I KNOW most of you are not going to be very much happy with me… or Jake for that matter. Before you inundate my inbox with flames, I'd like to remind you that I am a hardcore J/B shipper and that I have never, ever let any of you down. Nor do I intend to do so in the future; **_**ever**_**; so just relax and enjoy the wild ride, will you? **

**Just remember, Jake's had kind of a shock. He never expected any of the things that happened and he just needs a little time to assimilate. He'll come around, don't worry…and if he doesn't, Bella's strong enough to kick his ass into shape, don't you think? ;)**

**Anyway, let's move on and talk reviews, shall we? In case you guys didn't already know, I'm needy. :P So let me know what you thought about the chapter, okay? ;)**

**And last but not least, a great, big, fat thank you to my wonderfully talented soulmate, Erin. She's the most kickass beta, ever and an even better friend, if that's even possible. She's the one who keeps me honest and keeps me going and never, ever lets me give up. Even when I'm frustrated and tired of all those pesky revisions and in the mood to just chuck in the towel she keeps me motivated and on the path…so, honestly you all owe her thanks too! Thank you, soulmate. You're the best! I hope you know that I could have **_**never**_** done this without you!**


	33. IMPORTANT AN PLEASE READ!

**Important – PLEASE READ!**

So, I wasn't going to do this (I ABSOLUTELY hate posting A/N's as chapters… I just HATE it) but it seems I underestimated the reaction most of you would have to Jake taking off and leaving Bella with Edward and therefore I'm left with no choice but to clarify matters a little... which, I did try to warn you about, didn't I? Come on…don't tell me you didn't read the A/N at the end of the chapter. Oh, well figures…and serves you right! :P

To put things in perspective, I DID try to lessen the impact and asked that you all trust me but it seems that in that case, I OVERestimated the patience and goodwill I'd earned, or thought I'd earned. Well, now it's up to me to clarify things up so that there is hopefully a better understanding of my motives on writing last chapter the way I did.

All things considered, I'd like to FIRST reassure you that YES, there IS a method to the madness. Was Jake wrong and a huge, fucking idiot…? Hell yeah! But was he justified in doing what he did…? I happen to think so. Here are some of the reasons why (and again, this is totally MY reasoning, applying ONLY to MY story and you're completely free to disagree with me wholeheartedly…)

Jake is a twenty three, twenty four something year old guy who's only ever loved one girl for as long as he's remembered.

Said girl totally messed him up when she married his worst enemy and decided to give up her humanity… or so he thought.

Then, six years later, the girl shows up, very much alive and single. They start to regain their broken relationship…build up the trust they'd lost and get back to being friends, but with a background of this intense sexual tension that'd never been there before, at least not on her side. At the same time, Jake's still dealing with the fact that she spent SIX years away from him and didn't feel the need to even once let him know that she was still very much alive… that she wasn't a vampire.

Then, there's the fact that he knows about how Edward took away her freedom…drugged her and aborted her unborn child. So he knows how she feels about choice in general.

Add in a psychotic vamp, bent on world dominion who wants nothing more than to turn Bella and make her his queen and things are really fucked up for our hero. (Please also bear in mind that Jake and Bella have NEVER discussed why she didn't call him or try to get in touch with him for six whole years. Now, if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit that this is a huge fucking deal and will make even the best, most confident of Casanova's a little worried…)

And _finally_, he's just had the shock of his life…discovering that there's this whole other SIDE to him…something or someone who can control all his actions and make him do things he might've objected to under ordinary circumstances – like marking Bella as his mate without his knowledge…or her permission. He hates unwittingly doing something that he thinks she'll hate. He HATES being so out of control, but more than anything else, he hates that she didn't have say choice in the matter! This one issue, in his eyes, makes him no better than Edward. (Now, before you freak out once again, I'm SOOOOOOO not saying Jake is like Edward. He ISN'T! If he WAS, I wouldn't have loved him the way I did… I'm just saying that Jake is pretty much disgusted with himself… or rather his wolfy self for now!)

So, is Jake an idiot in running away? Did he perhaps overreact just a tad bit…? Abso-freaking-lutely! But bear in mind the fact that he's more than a little freaked out at the situation. He's scared and upset. NOW, I'm like to clarify one very important thing… he's NOT pulling an Edward and running away and abandoning her forever, no way. In case you haven't read the chapter correctly, please do so once again. He's admitting that he's probably being a wuss but that he just needs some time to sort things out in his own head. But, he's NOT now…nor will he EVER abandon her… especially not to Edward. He just had to leave at THAT point in time and think things over a little. And despite how much he HATES Edward's guts, he realizes that Edward loves Bella unconditionally and that he'd DIE before he let anything happen to her. That's all. That's what's going through his mind when he leaves. Nothing more, nothing less.

And having explained all that, let me reassure you once again, that this is just a temporary situation and that things will get back to normal in no time. Heck, most of you cribbed about the fact that Jake gives and he gives and he gets nothing in return. So I just wanted to have a situation where for once, BELLA pursues Jake and not the other way around. Is that so wrong?

Once again, I reassure you that I am a die hard, hard core J/B shipper. I have never, nor will I ever even READ a B/E story, much less write one. In fact, just to reassure you, there'll be NO B/E-ness in this story, at ALL, not even after Jake leaves her in Edward's hands.

I'd just also like to take the time to point out that when a story is clearly marked as a J/B and when the author always and forever reassuring you that she's a J/B fan…AND when she explicitly tells you to trust her, you should do so. I don't remember ever letting any of you down and therefore have earned your trust, haven't I?

And FINALLY, I'd like to point out that this is JUST a story…and fanfiction at that! And WHAT makes for a good story…? That's right kiddies – DRAMA! So just relax please and let me do my job… of keeping all of you entertained while doing what I do best…slowly and surely building up to a J/B HEA!

There! I hope that clarifies things somewhat to your satisfaction and that the anger you feel towards me and Jake lessens somewhat. If not, there's nothing I can do about it now. What's done is done and I'm NOT going back and changing things just so that you guys are satisfied. That's just not who I am. This is MY story and I'm writing it as I see fit.

I _do_ love all of you, for all the support and love you've given me so far and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you'll continue to stick by me for the rest of the ride. I really, truly don't want to lose any of you, but I still won't or rather CAN'T pander to everyone's wishes. (Having said that, I'd like to clarify that I DO truly respect your views and opinions, even if they're anti-me at the moment and I hope that you'll continue to communicate said views to me… ) And finally, I DO promise that things will get better soon. So in case you're still on the fence as to whether to continue reading my story or not, I'd say, at least give me till next chapter. You know you owe me at least that!

Thank you.

Yours truly,

Crazily-Addicted.


	34. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 – Jake**

**Disclaimer: - I don't own Twilight… or Jacob for that matter! Shocking no? I thought so too! God, life is soooooooooo unfair!**

**A/N: - Umm… Sorry…? (Ducks and hides for fear of harmful flying objects.) As always, I never meant for this much of a delay and as always time just got away from me. Sorry. Really, truly sorry. Stupid RL and stupid writer's block! Grrrrrr!**

**But hey, on the bright side this chapter is…and I'm not even kidding when I say this… 57 typed pages. Holy shit, right? Yup, it's a monster of a chapter alright and one I hope will make up for the long, LONG delay. So am I forgiven yet? Yeah, I thought I might be. **

**I know that a LOT of you were majorly upset with Jake/me at the end of last chapter. I hope this chapter gives you a better understanding of his motivations as well as enabling you to forgive him (and me!) for his actions.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my soulmate and beta, Erin and to my friend Wendy, without whose love and support this chapter would never have been written.**

**And now without further ado… **

**JPOV**

Three miles. Three. Lousy. _Fucking. _Miles!

That's how far I got (How could I know that I was _exactly _three miles away from the cave…? Because I just fucking did, that's why! It was another one of those freaky wolf things. We just _knew_ distance. Could judge it to an accuracy of a few inches, give or take. Instinctively. Not much of a super power granted, but it sure came in handy for running patrols and for judging…well… '_distances'_) before the enormity of my actions bore down upon me like a battering ram from hell. My heart began to thud painfully in my chest. My breath backed up in my throat –the pressure, _fuck_, there was so much _fucking_ pressure on my chest – choking me, smothering me. My feet turned to lead (each of them felt like they weighed at least a freaking ton) and refused to obey the simple commands of my brain. Raw, unadulterated panic swamped my gut; skittering through my veins.

Jesus, God… what the hell was going on? If I didn't know any better I'd have thought that I was having a panic attack. but werewolves couldn't have panic attacks, could they?

Bella… God, _Bella_.

She was all I could think about… all I could feel. What the hell was I doing?

_Had to go back. Had to go back right fucking now. Mine. Mine. Mine. My mate, not his… not the leeches. Mine. All mine. Want her… need her… now… now… Now!_

No, no, no! I shouldn't think like that. I couldn't. She wasn't mine.

_Yes she was!_

Well she wouldn't be for very long. It was just a question of her finding out about the mating I'd unwittingly forced on her and that would be that. Bye bye Jakie!

A feral growl escaped my throat; an involuntary protest at the thought of Bella, my Bella getting rid of me. (_Never! Not ever. Not in this fucking lifetime!_)

Fuck! _Fuck!_ Bloody _fucking_ fuck! I was such a hot, fucking mess! (Head exploding; blood, bone and gore everywhere; kind of a mess!) For fuck's sake, this whole possessive, ownership thing was going to get old really fast. This was modern day America, where women were considered to be equal (if not better) than men; _not_ the freaking middle ages! I had no claims on her, despite what my wolf seemed to feel. Bella was her own person dammit – with choices and options and she was fully capable of sorting through those choices and making her own decisions.

Of course, my heart _had_ to pick that very moment to remind me that she _had_ chosen (That is, if I was to believe her heartfelt declaration in my apartment the other night, she had). And hard as it was to believe, she'd chosen me. (Had she really though? Yeah, she'd said she loved me, but then, she'd loved me six years ago too. Only then, it hadn't been nearly enough to make her want to stay. So what was so different this time around, huh? And the leech…she'd loved him too. Like, _really_ loved him. And yet, she'd left him too. So what made me think that she really loved me now and that that love would be enough to make her stay forever…?)

_Yes! Yes she really loved me! She said it herself. She belonged to me. Mine mine mine… Take her, claim her, own her…_

Jesus that sounded _so good_. Fuck! What was _wrong_ with me? Were those my thoughts or the wolf's? I didn't know anymore. What was more, I wasn't sure I even cared.

_Screwed. I was so fucking screwed!_

Confused, unsettled, disoriented; I stood there, frozen in place almost as if I'd been zapped by one of those pre-programmed electric collars thingies – the ones used to keep pets from escaping pre-determined boundaries.

Fuck. _Fuck!_ This back and forth was getting fucking confusing and that was messing with my fucking mind. I wanted her. I didn't want her. I needed her. I didn't need her. I _had_ to be with her. I _had_ to leave her alone. What a _fucking _mess!

And as if that wasn't bad enough, I was apparently having trouble distinguishing between the wolf's thoughts and my own and thus my life was completely fucked up! The resulting confusion was only exacerbated by the yearning, _the longing_ we both felt for her… for Bella. The need, the sheer _want_ coursing through me was phenomenal. It went beyond anything I'd ever felt or experienced before.

Her name was a never-ending refrain in my head… in my heart. The need to be with her… to return to her side arose in my gut and continued all the way, right down to the depths of my fucking soul.

So what the fuck was I doing, leaving her with the leech, no less? She was still recovering from her ordeal with Vladimir, still coming to grips with her kidnapping and the following assault at the hands of a madman and here I was, more concerned with my own damn problems than hers! Oh sure, my motives behind leaving her had been sound; my sentiments, noble. (I'd felt awful about what had happened in that cave. I'd behaved like the animal I was and taken her; _marked_ her… _branded_ her like she was no better than _cattle_! I'd _hurt_ her and that just fucking killed me. But what was worse; what was unforgivable was that I'd done all this without her permission. And no matter how much I tried to convince myself to the contrary, that was just horribly wrong! So, I'd honestly needed some time to sort everything out and get my feelings in proper, working order.) But frankly speaking, leaving her in the leech's care had to be the worst idea of the century. Especially when I knew, more than anyone, how much in love with her he still was. I was a fucking moron, that's what I was!

I'd basically left her alone, in the middle of nowhere with the one person guaranteed to take advantage of the situation to further his own means. Ugh! Sure, Cullen would take care of her…even at the cost of his own life (I had no doubts about that. He was just that fucking noble, not to mention, just that fucking crazy about her. Ugh!), but barring any immediate danger; he'd also revel in this opportunity (an opportunity I'd presented to him on a goddamn silver platter) to weasel his way back into her good graces.

So why the fuck had I called him? Of all the people I could've called, why him? Try as I might, I couldn't figure it out. Why not Seth or Sam or Paul or Jared? Any one of my wolves would've been better than the leech; heck, any of the _other_ leeches would've been a damn sight better if you thought about it! The pixie, Alice, she loved Bella too. She'd have protected her at any cost too. So why the fuck hadn't I called _her_?

'_Because you're a fucking moron, that's why!'_ This time it was definitely the wolf, no doubt about it and he was totally pissed off. His anger did nothing to soothe the raw emotions raging within me. In fact, it only served to make me even angrier.

"Yeah, _fuck_ you!" I snapped impatiently, in no mood to deal with his displeasure. I had enough shit on my plate as it was.

The wolf didn't like my tone… or my attitude for that matter. He didn't like it one bit. He snapped and snarled and tried to wrestle control of the situation. Of me. Well, fuck that shit. I was _done_ letting him have his way with me whenever he fucking felt like it.

With a herculean effort of will I pushed him back to the far recesses of my mind once again. (So, what if the effort left me feeling faintly nauseous and sick, huh? So what if the peace was bound to be extremely short lived? The blessed silence in my mind was totally worth it!) Reveling in the momentary peace and quiet, I continued to analyze my seemingly idiotic actions.

It wasn't as if the leech had kept his plans a secret. No. On the contrary, he'd been extremely vocal about them every chance he got. He'd told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was going to try to win Bella back. (Well, actually in his version of events, he _was_ going to win her back, no matter what, but that was beside the point. Couldn't really begrudge a madman his delusions now, could I?) In fact, he'd been very insistent on it. So I couldn't even claim ignorance. And I knew for a fact that I just wasn't that trusting or naïve. (The horrifying things I'd had to see and do since turning into this supernatural monster had stripped me of my innocence a long time ago.) So should I blame my actions on temporary insanity then? Yeah, I guess that might just work.

Fuck it! Why the hell was I beating myself up over this? I'd done what needed to be done and that was that. Given the situation and the limited resources available to me, I'd made the best decision I could. I'd just had to get away from her at the time. There was no way I deserved to be near her…to even breathe the same air as her after what I'd… or rather, my wolf had done to her.

So if it'd been so fucking right, why did it feel so very wrong? And why; instead of escaping my tormented thoughts with a nice, brisk run in the cold outdoors; was I stuck here, in the stark, white landscape, fighting to breathe…?

One foot in front of the other – left, right, left, right. That was all I had to do. Should've been simple enough, right? Wrong! Somehow even that simple movement proved too much. If only I could just force my body to obey the dictates of my mind; to overcome the sluggishness, the lethargy that invaded all of my senses…

I tried to tell myself that it would all turn out to be okay, that it would take just a few more measly steps… just a few more steps and I'd be able to break through this feeling of apathy that'd invaded my limbs. But no. When had things _ever _gone my way?

Perfect! Just fucking perfect! Apparently I couldn't even do the right thing now because my own body had taken upon itself to betray me in the worst possible way!

And then, to make matters worse, my imagination chose that exact moment in time to fire up in vivid Technicolor detail. Edward touching Bella… kissing her… holding her in his cold, rigid arms… consoling her… helping her to recover from her ordeal. On and on it went; getting progressively worse by the minute till it got to a point where it was unbearable. Edward… sinking his teeth into the warm, pliable skin of her throat…

And _that_ was when the jitters set in full force…

Oh _Fuck_ NO!

Fuck, fuck, _fuck_! He wouldn't _do_ that. He _wouldn't_! He wouldn't, right? _Right?_

_My mate. Mine. Ours! Rip the leech to shreds. Rip him. Tiny itty, bitty pieces. Set him on fire. Burn him! Kill him, kill him, kill him. Our Bella. _

No, no, _no_! What the fuck was _wrong_ with me? God, I was so totally messed up; so confused and shaken; by everything that'd happened in the last 24 hours that I wasn't thinking straight, dammit! And to be fair, who wouldn't be shocked at some of the things I'd discovered? I'd gone from being an ordinary alpha werewolf (well, as ordinary as a 'werewolf' could be anyway…) to being a super powerful beast who kicked major ass and had little or no control over his own actions, to being mated for life to the girl of my dreams (a girl who'd – in the past – stomped on my heart time and again and broken and bruised it beyond recognition but who now claimed to be head over heels in love with me) – and all without my consent _or_ hers for that matter. So, could you really blame me for losing my fucking shit temporarily?

But that didn't change the bottom line, which was that, even at this minute, Bella was all alone (probably… most likely vulnerable) and in the company of the one person in the world who would go out of his way to ensure that this situation would benefit his ultimate goal in some way or the other. (Fucking cocksucker of a leech!) And his ultimate goal was and had always been taking Bella away from me and making her his own forever. So, taking all these facts into question, it bore asking once again… _What_ the _fuck_ had I been thinking?

_Bella… Bella… Bella. Hold her… touch her… kiss her… fuck her…now… now… Now!_

Oh God, I was losing my goddamn mind! I had to go back. Right fucking now. I _had_ to go back to her. I had to see her. I had to touch her. I had to hold her.

Yes, yes, yes!

No. Wait! Hold on one damn minute.

The circumstances under which I'd decided to leave her hadn't really changed. She was better off without me, wasn't she? Yes, she was. She didn't deserve to have something like this done to her… she didn't deserve to be forcibly tied to me (or anyone else for that matter) for the rest of her life. She would hate me; detest me; once she came to know what I'd unwittingly done to her. And rightly so. Yup, I'd absolutely done the right thing in leaving when I did.

And then, before I could congratulate myself any further, my mind drifted back to the events that'd transpired in the cave _prior_ to all that mating shit. Jesus, the things Bella and I had done to each other…I couldn't even think of that without getting a hard-on to rival all hard-on's!

And holy Mary mother of God, I didn't even want to _think_ about what her reaction would be to my desertion after _that_! The old Bella would've done nothing, except maybe fall into a deep abyss of depression. But this Bella, this new and improved; grown-up Bella…well…she was going to castrate me, skewer my balls and barbeque them in front of my eyes; just for the pleasure of seeing me weep like a little baby! So it kinda made sense to just head back to her now, before she woke up and realized that I was gone, right?

Shit! Fuck! Shit!

I went back and forth, fighting my instincts; fighting everything in me; trying to figure out what to do. As a result, I was rooted to the spot in my indecision, unable to move forward and yet unwilling to turn back. It was humiliating to say the least. I was literally stuck…incapable of moving even a freaking inch.

Dammit, I should've known that leaving Bella for her own good; while seemingly fine and dandy in theory would turn out to be _much_ harder than I could've ever imagined in practice. Like really _fucking_ hard. (Try impossible and you'd have some fucking clue as to exactly how difficult it was.)

But I hadn't known. Had absolutely no clue. And that's why I'd been caught completely unawares when this feeling of panic… of debilitating loss and fear struck me out of the blue. Fuck it all!

The emotional aspect of it, I could've handled. Sure, it would've hurt like a bitch but I would've sucked it up and dealt with it like a man. (I had an amazing amount of experience dealing with emotional pain after all. I'd mastered all the nifty little tricks of dealing with a broken heart in the six years of Bella's absence.) No, it wasn't the emotional aspect at all. It was the physical stuff that did me in… real; honest to goodness symptoms that crept up on me out of nowhere and made me feel sick, uneasy and unsettled. The more I tried to ignore the feeling, the faster my heart pounded, till it resembled an out of control freight train. Beads of sweat popped up on my brow and I had to battle myself so that I didn't have a full blown panic attack.

_Bella…Bella… Bella._

Jesus _fucking_ Christ! What was going on with me? This…whatever this was, it felt horrendous.

She might've been better off without me but that didn't mean that I was better off without her. Selfish, I know… but then I'd always been selfish where Bella was concerned.

Each and every part of me was crying out for her. It was a physical need… a longing that was impossible to ignore. I needed her. I _needed_ her.

And then it struck me – the perfect solution to all of my problems – a way in which I could be near her without actually being _with_ her! It'd take some ingenuity of course, but if I could manage to mask my presence from the leech, I could keep my distance from her and yet ensure that she was alright, that she was safe and protected _and_ that the leech took her straight to Dr. Cullen like he'd said he would. (It was damn near flawless – the perfect way of being close to her, but not _too_ close. If only I'd thought of it sooner. Oh well… it wasn't like there was anything to stop me from changing my mind, was there?)

The moment I arrived at that conclusion, just like that, the pain disappeared (Pfft!) as if it'd never existed in the first place. The excruciating pressure in my head just popped like a cork. My muscles stopped protesting and unlocked magically almost as if they'd been waiting for me to come to this very solution. How strange…

Before I even knew what was happening, before I was aware of having made a decision; I turned around and began running back to the cave; anxious to get back to her as soon as humanly possible.

'_I told you it would be impossible for us to stay away from her now…'_

The wolf's voice gave me a brief pause. Yes, he'd told me/warned me…whatever. He'd begged me to reconsider. I hadn't listened. And now here I was running back to her with my tail between my legs. Where was the 'almost bordering on stubborn' tenacity, the formidable self-control that I was infamous for? A few measly moments away from Bella and poof… all the self-control had gone up in a puff of smoke.

Wait a minute! I replayed my thoughts, a tiny kernel of suspicion blooming in my mind. What I was feeling, doing was totally and completely uncharacteristic of me. This debilitating fear, this anxiety… how could I be certain that this was me…that this wasn't him, my wolf? What if this was just another ploy to mess with me, to manipulate me into doing what he wanted?

My temper ignited hard and fast; like a spark to really dry tinder. "Did you do this?" I questioned harshly.

'_What?'_

"Answer me!" I snapped, in no mood to mess around. "Did _you_ do this? Are you _making_ me feel this way, you bastard?"

'_No, of course not! As if I even could…'_ He sounded emphatic… and supremely insulted. _'What you're feeling comes from the bond; it is a form of separation anxiety originating from your bull-headed determination to be separated from your mate.'_

I don't know why, but I believed him; believed that he was telling me the truth. Maybe it was the lack of triumph in his voice. (If I'd detected even the slightest hint of gloating in his voice I'd have shut him down faster than he'd have been able to comprehend.) Or maybe it was the honest, heartfelt relief I could feel in him... the happiness of knowing that he was about to be by his mate's side after all. Whatever it was, I couldn't detect the slightest hint of deceit in him. So, I chose to go along with him and let the matter go – for now. Besides, I had other, more urgent things to focus on. Like his latest and most recent update on the effects of the mating bond…

"Are you telling me that the bond will make it physically impossible for me to be away from Bella ever again; that I'll feel sick unless we're together all the _fucking_ time?" I questioned incredulously.

This couldn't be happening, not to me, not to us! It was just plain fucking crazy! No matter how much I loved her (and I did… more than life itself), I was not going to follow her around like a lovesick puppy for the rest of my life! I had to draw the line at some point and _that_ was it as far as I was concerned. She had to have her privacy, her own life away from me or she'd go crazy and frankly speaking, so would I. And call me crazy or delusional, but I had a hunch that Bella would strongly support me on this.

'_Don't be stupid!'_ The wolf barked gruffly. _'You're not going to have to be together every moment of every day. That would be physically impossible to do; not to mention ridiculous; unless you were actually joined at the hip, which you obviously are not!'_

"Well, hallelujah!" I muttered sarcastically but at the same time, I couldn't help feeling a tiny spurt of relief. For once, things had gone my way. But the relief was short-lived, extremely so.

'_The anxiety you're feeling right now is just a manifestation of you trying to fight the bond; reject it. The feeling will go away as soon as both you and Bella accept the bond, give in to it. After that, it should be smooth sailing for the both of you.'_

"The _both_ of us…? Are you telling me that she's feeling this… this panic, this anxiety too?"

'_I can't be a hundred percent sure but other than the fact that she's human, I can't imagine why things would be any different for her than they are for us._ _If anything, the fact that she's a human just might make this whole experience more… intense for her.'_

More riddles. Yay! "_What_ does that mean?" I questioned, bracing myself for the answer.

'_The panic, the anxiety – they'll be more heightened, more intense for her, more…shall we say… overwhelming...?'_

That's it? He was going to leave it at that? Nuh uh. No fucking way! "Elaborate!" I snapped brusquely. Even though he didn't try to resist my demand or argue against it I could sense his emotions, his reluctance and for some reason, that only succeeded in making me antsy.

'_Well… technically, the fact that you're a superhuman means that you feel more, sense more than the average human but you also have a better control over all the variables in your life, like your emotions. You can assimilate them faster, more efficiently; even put them aside temporarily if the situation calls for it. This helps you to get back to an even keel. Bella, being a human doesn't have that luxury. To put things simply, she'll probably feel too much, too soon and not be able to deal with it.'_

"What do you mean she won't be able to deal with it?"

'_Too many emotions bombarding her from all sides… you do the math, boy. She might go crazy, that's what I meant!'_

Fuck! "So, how do I make sure she doesn't go through this shit?"

'_It's simple, really. You give in to the bond and accept her as your mate.'_

I growled my displeasure at the fait accompli.

The wolf went on unfazed. '_I told you…this is an irreversible process. Once begun, it can't be undone.'_

"Jesus Christ!" I muttered disgustedly. "It just gets better and better, doesn't it? So what you're basically saying is that unless she and I accept this so called 'mating bond' we're going to have to be within touching distance of each other for the rest of our lives or go out of our minds, is that it?"

The grim silence said it all.

"Bloody fucking hell!" I raged angrily. Bind her to me for the rest of our natural lives or let her go insane – what the fuck kind of choice was that? "This… this is no better than imprinting. And the worst of it is; I did this to her. I forced this… this life sentence on her!"

'_Fuck that!'_ He exclaimed impatiently. _'She loves you. She wants to be with you, you know that. Besides, don't you feel the same way about her? I know for a fact that she's what you've wanted your whole life. So stop being an idiot and accept your fate.'_

I had no response to that. None that would sound sane and rational anyway. And what could I say, really? I couldn't very well deny it. That would be an exercise in futility. He was right. He was right about everything and he knew it. Trying to protest the obvious would just be a waste of time and energy considering that neither of us was going to buy it anyway.

I just hated it. Hated this utter and complete loss of control. In less than a day, this stranger… this _intruder_ had taken over my life and made it his own; had taken everything I held precious and screwed it up beyond recognition!

_I_ was supposed to have rescued Bella. _Me_. Not some superhuman presence that took over my mind whenever it damn well pleased and just for the heck of it no less! Likewise, _I_ was supposed to love Bella, to cherish her forever. She was supposed to be mine and mine alone. Now, not only did I not have a choice in what I felt about her or how I acted on those feelings but I also had to share her with someone else. Granted, that someone else was for all practical intents and purposes me, but hey, it was the principle of the thing wasn't it?

And as I was registering these feelings; trying to deal with them, I also realized why I hadn't assigned one of my pack members to look after Bella, or why I had trusted the fucking leech over everyone else for that matter. It was because I was afraid; afraid that my alter ego would take over and try to influence, to coerce my pack into going against my wishes. He was, technically, an alpha too. He _could_ give them alpha commands without me being any the wiser to his presence, just like I'd been while I'd been fighting off Vladimir's minions or later, in the cave with Bella. He could even fool the vampires into doing his bidding – they'd think that they were being asked by Jacob after all. No, I couldn't take that chance. Edward was literally the only one I could trust. His special ability would help him out; he'd be able to read the wolf's mind and distinguish it from my own.

'_Fucking pussy!'_ The wolf spat disgustedly, having discerned my thoughts without my knowledge.

"_What_ did you call me?" I demanded in an ominously calm tone of voice.

Most people trembled before me when I used that voice, including Leah (sometimes…). The wolf was undeterred. _'I called you a fucking pussy, that's what.' _For the first time, I heard real anger and frustration in his voice. Yeah well, bring it on!

An involuntary snarl escaped me. "Watch your fucking mouth, you asshole!"

The wolf went on, seemingly unaffected by my display of anger._ "Jesus, you're such a fucking coward, you know that? You're so fucking misguided and stubborn that you can't even begin to see right from wrong! You've shoved your head so far up your fucking ass that I'm surprised it isn't popping out of your mouth already!'_

"And _you_ are a filthy, disgusting animal!" I retorted.

'_Wow. How original! And, technically, I AM an animal. And I don't get why that upsets you so much. Because I made it possible for us to have what we both so desperately wanted but that you weren't man enough to claim for yourself? That doesn't make me filthy or disgusting. It might make me selfish, but hey, I'm an animal, remember? I don't think, I don't evaluate and reevaluate my options. I see something I want; I take it, plain and simple.'_

"Jesus…" He couldn't really mean it. He didn't really mean it. He was just trying to taunt me…to elicit a reaction out of me. Right? Jesus, I felt sick.

'_What did I tell you…? Fucking pussy!'_

Almost there, almost there… I repeated endlessly in my mind while simultaneously picking up speed. I was determined to get back to the cave as soon as possible because goddammit, I was sick and tired of being alone with my own thoughts…especially when said thoughts weren't private as they damn well should be.

'_Oh yeah run along like the itty bitty coward that you are…'_ The wolf mocked.

That's it! I'd had enough!

But before I could think of an appropriate response to put the bastard in his place I came across a sight that wiped my mind clean of the anger, the resentment that I felt for the wolf. In fact, it wiped my mind clean, period. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on the way you looked at it, it also stunned the wolf into silence.

About a hundred yards ahead of us, the leech was running through the woods (shirtless) with Bella (who was dressed in nothing _but_ said shirt) nestled lovingly in his arms.

What. The. Fuck.

Jealousy; seething, raging, all consuming. Possessiveness; mine, mine, MINE! Fury; irrepressible, uncontrollable… _Kill him. Kill the leech. Tear him apart!_

Reason didn't apply. Nor did logic. There was only a blind, tearing, all-consuming need to reclaim what was mine. I was taken aback by the intensity and the magnitude of my emotions. The only thing that stopped me from actually going bat shit crazy and shredding the leech apart like I wanted to was the fact that Bella could/would get hurt in the process. (The first order of business was to get Bella away from him… far, _far_ away!) I sprang into action, covering the last few hundred feet in what felt like a few strides.

The leech came to a screeching halt as I jumped into his path suddenly, snarling deep in my throat. "What the…? Where did _you_ come from?" He snapped, hunching over her protectively.

A part of me – a very tiny part – was intrigued by the fact that the leech apparently didn't hear or sense me coming. (Hmmm… _very_ interesting. Another neat little super-wolf trick, I imagine. Whatever _this_ was, it'd come in very handy for future leech attacks! I'd definitely have to analyze this in much more detail later.) But the majority of me was more occupied with the fact that the leech was _touching_ Bella. MY Bella. Not to mention, he was holding her; way too tightly for my comfort. No. Fuck No! _My_ mate. Mine!

I saw red. Literally. (Kill him. Tear him apart. Now!) "Get your fucking, filthy hands off of my mate!" I roared. The sudden proclamation brought about varied reactions. Confusion from me (What the Fuck…? I was supposed to be _denying _the bond not declaring it!), smug satisfaction from the wolf and rage bordering on hatred from the leech. Peachy!

"She is NOT your mate!" The leech reacted strongly, his hold on her tightening imperceptibly.

The wolf went a little crazy._ I_ went a little crazy. (So what if I'd been trying to deny the mating myself for the last hour or so… it didn't mean that he could do it!) I wanted his hands off her. Right fucking now!

She was mine dammit! _Mine. All mine. Not his. Never his. Mine. Always. Forever._ I didn't want him (or anyone else except me for that matter) touching her. Ever. And yet, I was also pretty sure that _I_ needed to stay away from her for her own good. God, what a godawful mess!

But I didn't have time to deal with my confused feelings on the issue, not right now. I'd have enough time for the soul searching later. Right now, all I knew was that I _needed_ his hands off her more than I needed my next breathe. I couldn't let _him_ have her. I just couldn't. "I think that mark on her neck says differently, leech…" I taunted deliberately, secure in the knowledge that no matter how upset he was with me, the leech would kill himself before hurting Bella in any way.

I was right. The leech growled threateningly at me, but his grip on Bella never varied, not once. "Don't push me, _boy_! That mark means nothing, _nothing_, do you hear me? I'll find a way to undo it as soon as possible!"

Hell no. _Fuck_ no! "If you even touch her wrong, I swear to God…" I threatened in a deadly soft voice.

"But right now, I have to get her to Carlisle as soon as possible. As it is, your negligence might've cost us valuable time." The leech went on without acknowledging my visibly visceral reaction to his statement.

His utter disregard for my feelings drove me nuts. "_I'll_ take her wherever she needs to go. Me, not you. For the last fucking time, she's mine! You had your chance with her and you screwed up. Big time. Now she's with me. And if you do anything, and I mean _anything,_ to jeopardize my chance with her now, I'll tear you apart and burn your sparkly ass with my own fucking hands, treaty be damned!"

"But, see… I haven't lost my chance with her at all. That's what I've been trying to tell you for so long, you overgrown mutt! She's upset with me right now. She _thinks_ she's moved on. She's deluded herself into thinking that she has all these feelings for you. But what she _and_ you don't realize as yet is that she can never get over me. _Never!_ Love like ours never fades, you see. She and I are destined to be together. Forever. We're meant to be. You're just a minor distraction, Jacob. You know I'm right _boy_. Or you wouldn't have left…er… sorry, abandoned her in my care just a little while ago…"

Jesus, that smug condescending cocksucking prick! I couldn't believe his audacity. "Who's deluding himself now, huh? I _left_ her in your care… _temporarily_," I hissed "but that didn't mean that I was handing her over to you, no way! And at _no time_ did I imply that you were free to dress her up in your clothes and cart her around like you fucking owned her while she was sleeping!" I snapped back. "Now, for the last fucking time, take your filthy fucking hands off her or lose them forever leech!"

"She's not sleeping, she's unconscious!" Edward responded patronizingly.

Terror, sheer and bright ran through my limbs. The anger at the leech; the jealousy; the possessiveness were all a thing of the past. She was what was important. Always. "What? Why?" I questioned, unable to control the panic leaking through my voice. "She was alright when I left…Did something happen? Is she hurt?"

My fault. All mine. Why had I left her, _why?_

"No, she's not hurt." The leech assured me impatiently. "At least I don't think she is…" He trailed off uncertainly.

He didn't _know…?_ Jesus! Countless times through medical school and he couldn't determine whether a person was injured or not? Fucking moron! What a godawful waste of time and energy and money…

I prayed to a God I didn't believe in for patience… for sanity, at least till I could figure out why it was that Bella; who'd been just sleeping when I'd left her not even fifteen minutes ago; was now unconscious. "So, then what the fuck happened? Cuz newsflash dead guy, people just don't faint for no apparent reason! Something had to have happened while I was away…" I explained with exaggerated patience.

"Well…she didn't faint dead away, in case that's what you're talking about. She's unconscious because I've administered a mild sedative."

I lost it. What the _fuck…?_ I was going to _kill_ him. Oh yeah, I was going to _dismember him…_slowly and systematically…and enjoy every freaking second of it! But first things first… "_Why?_" I snarled; the tenor of this question vastly different from the earlier one. This time the implication was loud and clear – explain or be prepared to lose some body parts.

"That's none of your business, boy!"

Oh yeah, I was going to enjoy tearing his throat out. So damn much. I got right in his face and threatened in a deadly soft voice, "Tell me _why_ you sedated her right this fucking minute unless you want your dead, stony dick to become pet food!"

"I see you're as brash and impulsive as always Jacob Black." The leech couldn't resist the taunt. "I guess I shouldn't have expected you to have matured very much. After all, it takes way more than six years to achieve such traits."

Fucking _asshole!_ "You should know, considering the fact that you've been around for more than a century without gaining even an ounce of it yourself!"

"You're such a…a _child! _I can't fathom what Bella sees in you!"

Oh wow… now that was pretty 'kindergarten', even for the leech. But knowing this; knowing that I shouldn't be stooping to his level; didn't stop the flash of anger and insecurity that the words incited within me. "Yeah well, you're a tottering grandpa with intimacy issues and I've never understood what Bella saw in you either so I guess that makes us pretty much even!" I spat, incensed. "Now tell me what you've fucking done to Bella and why or I swear to God, I'll rip you to tiny little pieces and scatter them all over the fucking world!"

"If you _must_ know, _imbecile_, a few moments after you left, Bella started to thrash around and moan in her sleep, almost as if she were having a nightmare. I tried to soothe her, to wake her up, but she just kept calling for you… screaming your name." He spat out accusingly. I could see the toll it took… could see that admitting her need for me was killing the leech, but I was too upset with myself to enjoy his misery. "Her unease just increased exponentially with time, until she was in the grips of a full blown panic attack. No matter what I did, no matter how I tried, she just wouldn't wake up. Finally, I arrived at the conclusion that administering a mild sedative and getting her over to Carlisle as soon as possible was the only course of action."

Guilt. Instant and all consuming. Fuck. _Fuck!_ My fault. _All_ my fault. The wolf had warned me about this… told me that Bella would feel the supercharged version of everything I'd felt but I'd ignored him. In my defense, I'd never expected that it'd be so bad that she would have to be sedated, but that was no excuse. I should have known. I should have anticipated it. My mate, my fault. _Fuck!_

God, this was just another failure, in a long, never ending line of failures! Letting her get kidnapped from right under my nose, failing to save her before that asshole Vladimir violated her, marking her as a mate without her knowledge or consent and then behaving like a pussy and abandoning her in her time of need. Would the list never end? I wasn't perfect; had never claimed to be; but this was ridiculous even by my standards. Every possible way that I could have failed her last night, I had. Jesus… why would she ever want to be with me after all that, huh?

Well, it was time to stop with the self-flagellation (time enough later for that crap) and step up to the goddamn plate. Bella needed to be taken to Dr. Cullen…? Well then that's where she'd be taken. For once in this awful, messy, horrible situation, I was going to do the right thing! And if that meant getting along with the leech for all of the five minutes it'd take us to reach the old Cullen property, then I'd suck it up and do that too goddammit!

"Come on then, let's go…" I conceded gruffly.

"Go where…?" The leech questioned sounding bemused.

Even though I couldn't exactly blame him for his confusion (I'd gone from hostile one minute to positively meek and docile the next) I couldn't help but be annoyed at the sheer dumbness of his query. "To your house!" The 'duh' was implied. I mean, really, how thick could he be, huh? "Didn't you just say that Bella needed to be looked over by Carlisle…?" Yeah, understanding where the leech was coming from didn't mean that I'd found a well of patience for dealing with his crap. Far from it.

He bristled. "I think I'm capable of handling something as simple as carrying Bella to my house, thank you very much." He spat. "Besides, didn't you have somewhere else to be? Not even ten minutes ago you were all but running away from Bella as fast as your little feet would carry you…"

Couldn't hit him. Wouldn't hit him. Shouldn't hit him. (Not without sufficient provocation at least…) Maybe just one good punch…? No. No. I couldn't hit him. But _God_, I _wanted_ to hit him!

"I'm going to say this one last time leech so you better pay attention." I growled. "She's my mate, my responsibility and therefore it is _my_ duty, my right to do whatever needs to be done I regards to her health, well-being and safety!"

The leech growled wordlessly. He didn't like what I'd said…? Well too damn bad.

Having gotten the threats out of the way I decided to appeal to his more logical side, "You need the back-up and you know it. Do you really think that that asshole Vladimir will give up on her that easily? What happens if you get attacked while she's passed out in your arms? How are you going to defend her?"

I could _see_ the struggle; the conflict between what he _wanted_ to do and what he knew was right. And even though the thought of _him_ deciding whether I could accompany my mate to safety angered me beyond reason (Mine! _MINE! _Not his. _Never_ his.), I waited patiently, knowing that by walking away, even momentarily I'd opened myself up for this… this interference, this intrusion. It almost killed me (all this waiting around patiently when all I wanted to do was snatch her from his arms) but for the sake of her well-being, I kept my cool.

"So… he isn't dead yet?" The leech's question eased off some of my tension (the tone of his voice along with the fact that he was willing to have a rational discussion told me that I'd won this particular argument) while at the same time raising my hackles. "No, he isn't." I stated, somewhat defensively. "He has a witch, a powerful one…"

That seemed to give him pause while at the same time reinforcing my earlier argument. "Fuck!" Short, succinct, vicious. My eyebrows rose to my hairline. Prim and proper Edward Cullen, who believed that a woman should be chaste and pure before her wedding night, was using profanity…? (I'd never even heard him utter a PG-13 word and now he was jumping straight to the R rated stuff?) That's it. The world was coming to an end. "Fine, let's go then!" He relented half-heartedly. "Try to keep up, will you?" He barked, displaying his displeasure.

Not exactly the most gracious acceptance, but what the hell, I'd take it. "Hand her over leech." I demanded while stepping closer to take Bella from his arms. The anticipation was… indescribable. One would think, looking at me, that I'd been away from her for decades instead of mere minutes. My entire body sang for her… her touch, her feel.

"There's no chance of that happening, mutt and you know it." The leech retorted, causing an involuntary growl to escape my lips. What the _fuck_? He was trying to keep me away from my mate? How _dare_ he?

The aggression threatened to break loose but I held onto my composure (just barely…) for Bella's sake. As much as I'd love to smack the leech, there was no way I was even touching him while he had Bella in his arms._ 'Easy Jacob… easy. You need to calm down.'_ Damn, despite my well intentions, the instinct to phase was right at the fore…I backed off a couple of steps and took in deep, calming breaths of air.

"There's something different about you." Cullen exclaimed suddenly. "I don't know how to explain it. It's not 'wrong' different exactly but at the same time, it's something not quite… right. And until I figure out what it is exactly, Bella stays away from you. Besides, the bruises I saw on her body don't exactly lend to your credibility right now, do they? So, you might not like it, but here's the deal – you want to come with me, be my guest. But she stays with me. And you don't touch her or even come near her until she wakes up and tells me otherwise."

No it was not fucking alright and I wanted to make that clear to the leech. I fucking hated it. I hated it with a passion. The wolf hated it even more. (We both wanted Bella out of the bloodsucker's arms and as far away from him as humanly possible…) But I didn't (couldn't) doubt the leech's motives and I couldn't blame him for his reticence either. He just wanted her safe (even a blind man could see that he was genuinely worried about her well-being around me) and wasn't that what I wanted too? So taking that into consideration, I could be the bigger man here. Because, let's face it… getting her over to Carlisle and into a safe, protected environment took precedence over all of our macho posturing.

Gritting my teeth to keep my protests to myself, I fell into step behind the leech as he took off in the direction of his house. We zipped through the trees, the landscape blurring around us even though we consciously slowed down so that Bella had a smoother ride.

My thoughts wandered. Damn, he was fast. Not that I couldn't keep up because I could. But i had to wonder. Would I have been able to keep up so easily before the appearance of super-wolf? He was definitely faster than most members of the pack, Leah and Seth notwithstanding.

"So what happened?" He spoke up, interrupting my train of thoughts. "_Why_ was she taken? What does he want with her?" The naked anguish in his voice kept me from snapping his head off at all the questions.

"He's a fucking psycho! Who the hell knows what he wants…" I braced myself for yet another attack of 'Grow up Jacob… you're such a child!' None came. Whoa! I couldn't believe the leech was going to give up an opportunity to blame me for something! (Alternate reality much? Or perhaps a case of multiple personality disorder?)

"I was unconscious for most of my time there." I finally got around to confessing shamefully. "When I came to, he kept going on about how she was his and how he wanted to kill me for even touching her. You know, the usual."

We both feel silent, lost in our own thoughts for a while.

Then I suddenly remembered. "Embry… how _is_ he? What did they do to him? He's okay isn't he?" I couldn't believe I'd forgotten. Granted, I'd been preoccupied with all things Bella for a while now, but that wasn't any excuse to forget all about one's best friend, was it? Damn! Another thing I could blame on the damn mating!

"He's…" The leech trailed off. My heart threatened to beat out of my chest in anxiety.

"What? Just spit it out!"

"He's… currently stable."

That didn't sound too encouraging now, did it? "Where the hell is he? What's wrong with him?"

"He's at the compound too. You'll see him soon enough. As far as what's wrong, we haven't been able to determine it as yet but Carlisle thinks that they shot him with darts laced with vampire venom."

Just like that, all my thoughts of Bella were replaced by worry about my best friend, my brother. "_Vampire venom…?_" I reiterated blankly, horror blooming in my gut. "Bu… but that's lethal to us!"

"Yeah well… he seems to be dealing with it, in his own way. He's not in great shape, true, but he should be dead and he's not and we're trying to figure out why…"

Fuck. Fuck! I needed to get there… now! Embry needed me.

I sped up, rushing the leech along. A few tense moments later he cautiously continued his questioning. "So what's he like…?"

"Who, Embry…?" I asked blankly, too caught up in my own worried thoughts to think rationally.

"Vladimir…" Cullen clarified.

"Oh him… Very old, very powerful and like I said earlier, completely delusional. Actually, bordering on psychotic, would be a more accurate description I'd say. Hey you know what I just realized…? You and he should get along famously!" I muttered sarcastically.

"He and I are nothing alike!" Cullen spat out, livid with rage, the momentary peace forgotten. "I would _never_ hurt Bella and you know it!"

He had me there. Dammit. If I was honest with myself, I'd have to admit that I'd just been trying to provoke him because I needed a convenient outlet for my rage and frustration; not because I really thought he was a monster like Vladimir. No matter who or what he was, it was obvious, even to a blind person that he cared very deeply about Bella. No matter how much I wished otherwise, even I couldn't deny that.

In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my heart had known that I could trust him with my mate even before my mind did. That's why I'd called him this morning. That's why I'd been able to leave when I did. And though I hated the fact, I was mature enough to realize that I would need his help in the future too in dealing with the Vladimir threat (One of us could protect her while the other ripped the leech's head off with gusto – if Edward and I didn't kill each other first that is…)

In my heart I knew… when push came to shove, he'd always choose her life over his own, just like I would. No hesitation, no second thoughts. (Not that the rest of the pack or the Cullen's wouldn't do everything in their power to save Bella, because they would. But none of them had the motivation that the leech and I had. My world began and ended with Bella. It had always been like that; even before the mating. And I knew the leech felt the same. We had an ultra-special drive to save Bella – neither of us would be able to survive without her.)

And I wasn't above using this knowledge for my own means. (When it came to saving Bella, I'd be as selfish as I needed to be; never mind who got hurt in the process. It was just as simple and as uncomplicated as that. ) "You do know that this isn't over…?" I questioned seriously, before we could descend into yet another meaningless argument. "He's going to come after her again and he's going to keep coming after her until he gets her or until we kill him, whichever happens first. He's really strong – the strongest one I've dealt with as yet – and he has a powerful witch on his side. Not to mention, he has an army of vampires, a real honest to goodness army! Add in the two trigger happy teenagers he's just taken on and he makes one hell of a formidable adversary. It's not going to be that easy taking him down…"

"You think I don't know that?" He spat not bothering to hide his frustration. "I've lived longer than you boy… I've seen way more of the world than you have. I know that she's still in danger, dammit. She'll continue to be in danger until that bastard is dead!"

Fucking sanctimonious bastard! As if I didn't know how awful it was to be in this position of helplessness. As if I didn't detest it more. Fucking asshole! (He was acting like all of this was my fault when in actuality it was the other way around. After all, if he'd managed to stay away from Bella in high school like he very well should have, she would never have been exposed to the world of the supernatural. She'd have been a normal, temperamental, maladjusted teenager, with seemingly insurmountable teenage problems and she'd have grown up to be a reserved but mature adult. I'd never have phased and God willing, Bella and I would've walked our natural path, together.)

Calm. Deep. Breaths. Couldn't lose my shit now. Had to keep my eye on the ball.

"Bloo…" I choked back the usual scathing address with difficulty, "Edward, we can't keep jumping down each other's throats at the drop of a hat. Not as long as this threat to Bella exists. Her safety has to be our first priority. She has to be our _only_ priority."

"She _is_ my only priority!"

"Oh yeah?" I snapped; irritated with his smug condescension. "Funny, but you wouldn't know it from seeing you fighting for her attention, like a dog over a bone!"

He roared angrily.

"See that, right there is what I'm talking about." I exclaimed, satisfied that the leech had just reinforced my point. "We're wasting all our time and energy fighting each other when our only thought, our only concern should be how to keep her safe…"

"So, what're you suggesting?"

"A truce. A cease-fire, so to speak." The words were so unpalatable, I almost choked on them but dammit, I meant every word I'd just said. Bella was my priority; my _only_ priority. And I'd do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if it meant joining hands with my worst enemy.

Edward also seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "And what will this truce entail, exactly?"

"You and I will work together to keep her safe, without letting our differences get in the way. We'll try to forget our differences and play nice, at least for the duration of this war with Vladimir. We can't afford to get distracted by our own petty grievances, not when we have such a big adversary to take care of." Jesus, just saying these things… I was going to be sick.

"Fine!" The bloodsucker spat, clearly as thrilled with the plan as I was. "I'll agree, as long as one thing's very clear."

"And what might that be…?"

"That the truce only lasts up until the moment Vladimir is gone!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, leech." I smiled coldly.

"Well good then. Because the moment Vladimir is out of the picture, I'm going to win her back. I guarantee it, mutt."

"I'm going to pretend like I never heard that statement, but only because I just declared a truce with you for the duration of this threat. But supposing I had heard you threaten to take my mate away, I'd have told you that you'd have to kill me and my pack first before you were even able to take the first step!"

"We'll see about that soon enough won't we?" The leech taunted sarcastically.

"I guess we will…" I snapped. "Now, can we please be grown-ups and focus on our assignment for the time being at least? Or is that beyond your capabilities?"

The only response I got was a nasty growl. I decided to take it as agreement and phased on the fly to prevent further arguments. Deciding to test my earlier theory, I consciously eased off on the tight control I'd maintained on the wolf and allowed him free reign.

"What the…?" The leech exclaimed. "I… I can't hear you. What's going on here, pup? How are you able to do that?"

'_Told you having me around was good for you!'_ The wolf exclaimed in a sing song voice.

I had to say, for the first time since he'd made his presence known in Vladimir's lair, I was genuinely glad to have the wolf around with all of his nifty new superpowers.

'_Trust me, you haven't even begun to see the true extent of my powers yet. If you're pleased now, I can't wait to see your reaction to the other tricks.' _He exclaimed, sounding like a kid in a candy store_. 'You and I are going to have such fun together!'_

"You… you shouldn't be able to shield me. It's just not possible!" The leech was falling all over himself in search of the answers. "How are you _doing _this? What have you done?"

I chose to stay silent, speeding up in order to get to our destination sooner. But internally, I was enjoying this new development immensely. (The leech's confusion and frustration were a large part of it, I'll admit.) After all, in short amount of time, I'd managed to outsmart the leech, prove my theory and discover an all new super-power (Or maybe I should say; super stealth!) in my already considerable arsenal of superpowers. Not bad for a day's work, huh?

"Dammit Jacob, answer me!"

Whoever had said that ignorance was bliss had obviously had way more patience than what the leech was currently displaying. Not that I cared for the bastard's state of mind or anything. In fact, I was all for letting him stew a little. (It was the least I could do to repay him for everything he'd put me through in the last 6-7 years that I'd known him. Besides, I had to admit, it felt like fucking poetic justice for all the times the bloodsucker had made me feel like an ignorant idiot!)

Throughout the rest of our journey to the Cullen estate – which lasted less than 5 minutes – I could almost physically feel the fulminating glares that the leech threw my way. Having no love lost for the little shit, I found it incredibly easy to stick to my guns and continue ignoring the him.

The almost smug pleasure I felt at outwitting the bloodsucker lasted only until we reached the compound. The moment we walked into the house, carrying Bella, pandemonium ensued.

The pixie; Alice, the Ice Queen; Rosalie and their soft-spoken 'mother'; Esme rushed towards us, with the doctor right at their heels.

"What's wrong with her Edward?" The pixie questioned, a worried urgency tingeing her voice.

"Nothing."

"Yeah sure nothing...except of course, your erstwhile brother just decided to knock her out cold, that's all!" I couldn't resist muttering even as most of my attention was fixated on Bella.

The leech snarled viciously, obviously not pleased with my interpretation of the events. Whatever. He could bite my ass for all I cared. I didn't have the time for his childish tantrums anyway.

"Oh my God… Izzy!" Dylan shouted, rather too loudly for my oversensitive ears. I couldn't help wincing in protest. "Is she okay?"

I just nodded absently. I didn't know that she really was of course, but hey, I was an eternal optimist. I had to believe that she'd be okay. After all, I couldn't have found her after I'd thought I'd lost her for sure, just to lose her again, right? The fates couldn't be so cruel.

For the first time in my memory, I actually found a viable reason to be thankful for a vampire's enhanced senses as Dr. Cullen promptly whisked Bella away for an examination without asking us any questions. (Both the leech and I wanted to go in with her but Carlisle calmly and firmly informed us that we would most likely just be in his way.)

So we waited. And paced. And waited some more.

I couldn't relax, couldn't _breathe_ as I waited for the good doctor to assign her a clean bill of health. Even though I knew that Bella was only knocked out because of the sedative Edward had administered her, I found myself desperately anxious for Dr. Cullen's update on her status.

"Were is she? Where's my baby?" It was Renee's sudden wail that startled me out of my intense Bella fixation. What the hell…? What was _she_ doing here?

For the first time since we walked in here, I took in my surroundings and got the shock of my life. My friends, my family, Bella's friends and her mom along with what felt like the entire town of La Push was crammed into the makeshift clinic, looking on with anxious eyes as Carlisle took care of his patients. Not just that, but some of my employees as well as some of our field agents were present too. Damn, how long was I gone?

Later I'd come to know that sometime during the night, while Bella and I had been prisoners in Vladimir's cave, Carlisle had pulled some major strings and got Charlie released from the hospital and into his care. Then early, this morning – after it became clear that he'd be better off here than there – the pack had moved Embry over from the rez and voila, the Cullen household had been transformed into a high-tech hospital equipped with what seemed to be all the latest life-saving equipment and enough of amedical arsenal to take care of most of the population of La Push and Forks combined. Our friends and family had all been urged to leave whatever they'd been doing and assemble here until further notice. It was a good, solid strategy – gather the troops and shore up the defenses. (And man, were the defenses shored! With every available vampire and wolf – those not on patrol, at least – present and on high alert, this place resembled a maximum security prison more than a private residence. The bullet proof windows, the cast iron doors and the steel reinforced walls only added to the impression.)

And while I appreciated the strategy and supported it wholeheartedly, I couldn't help shuddering at the new problems and nightmares it posed. For example, Bella's mother – how the fuck were we going to explain this shit to her? (Thankfully, Charlie was still out of it; and of course, Lisa and Dylan already knew about us; so she was the only civilian we had to worry about at the moment.)

Telling her the truth was out of the question, especially right now. Even though the Volturi problem had been resolved, it still stood to reason that the less involved she was in this mess, the safer she'd be. (I mean, if she wasn't around, then Vladimir or his minions couldn't use her as bait now could they?) Also, and selfish though it sounded, the more people we had to protect and keep track of, the lesser resources we could assign to destroying Vladimir and protecting Bella. Fuck it, I didn't care that I sounded like an asshole, I just wanted Renee out of here, both for her as well as for Bella's safety. Heck, if I could, I would've insisted on Charlie leaving too. (Dylan and Lisa too for that matter but I had a nasty feeling they weren't going anywhere.) But apart from the fact that he was sick and still in dire need of medical attention, there was also the pesky issue of him being chief of police and therefore too much of a public figure to just up and disappear at a moment's notice.

So since Renee was the only viable candidate for extraction (and since I was a practical guy who knew how to pick and choose his battles) I figured I'd take what I could get and convince Bella's mom to go back to Florida while things were still sort of calm around here. The only question was; how?

"We have to get her out of here!" I muttered softly, knowing full well that all of the supernatural creatures present in this room would be able to hear me without difficulty. "She's not safe here, while that asshole's still out there. She needs to be as far away from her as she possibly can. Anyone got any ideas on how…?"

"Uh… I think little Lisa Turner might be able to help you with that." Jared muttered from the other side of the room.

Lisa…? Bella's friend, Lisa…? Huh? What?

"I'll explain it all later." Jared reassured softly, having seen and correctly interpreted my confusion. "And don't worry, I'll talk to Lisa about seeing if she can convince Bella's mom to return back home or something…"

Okay, what the _hell _was going on here? Why on earth would Lisa be able to convince Renee to leave? Before I could make much sense of it or ask for any clarifications really, Carlisle's sudden reappearance drove the topic from my mind entirely.

"So doc, what's the verdict?" I asked cautiously, not sure I wanted to know but at the same time, unwilling to be kept in the dark any longer.

"I've performed a multitude of tests and I have to say, she looks remarkably unharmed for having gone through such a huge ordeal." Dr. Cullen declared in an upbeat manner. "We'll need to do a detailed examination once Bella wakes up of course, but for now, I don't see anything wrong with her that a few multivitamins and lots of rest won't cure."

I drew in the first easy breathe since I woke up this morning. She was going to be okay. Thank God! Still, I had to know. "And the sedative…?"

"Was very _mild_ and should wear off pretty soon!" Edward spat angrily.

"Yeah, yeah… you told me. Forgive me if I don't take your word on it, leech. This is Bella we're talking about after all and I don't want to take any chances with her safety."

The bloodsucker did not appreciate being called a liar I suppose because the next thing I knew he was standing right in front of me, giving me a death glare. "Like you did when you left her this morning, you mean…?" Ouch! Low blow, that. "I would _never_ hurt her, in any way!"

I chose to ignore his previous dig, instead concentrating on his vehement declaration. "You're being very repetitive, you know…" I responded in a deliberately affected, bored tone of voice. "One would almost say that you seem to be trying to convince yourself just as much as you're trying to convince me."

"Why you…?" The leech snarled, incensed.

"Boys!" Dr. Cullen chided tiredly, putting a quick halt to what could potentially have become a full-fledged knockdown, drag out fight. "We don't have time to fight amongst ourselves. Not if we're going to be any good to Bella."

Dammit, I knew this, had come to the same decision myself not so long ago. I'd even called a truce with my hated enemy over it. And yet, here I was right back in a position I'd promised myself I'd never be in… not till Bella was safe. What was it about the leech that brought out the worst in me?

"Sorry." I muttered, feeling adequately chastised.

"Yeah, me too…" The leech sounded equally cowed.

"Seems like this truce isn't going to be as easy as we'd originally thought..." I muttered sarcastically.

"Uh, you think…?" Edward laughed in bitter agreement.

"Don't worry though…" I hastened to add. "We might have a few setbacks, but we'll just have to keep at it till we get it right. After all, practice makes perfect, right?"

"I really hope so, mutt… er… sorry, Jacob."

I had to smile. (It was nice to know that I wasn't the only one having such a problem with this…name calling thing.)

"So – and forgive me for rehashing this, Edward, but I just have to know for sure – she's really okay?" I addressed my question to the both of them.

"She'll be fine…" Carlisle reassured me once again.

Feeling as if a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders, I bowed down in supplication. "Is there anything I can do…?" I questioned, feeling the need to do something, anything, to help her.

"No, I'm afraid not, son." Carlisle responded. "All we can do is wait for her to wake up, which she should, any moment now. I'm transferring her to the guest room on the lower level. In case either of you want to see her or sit with her for a while, you can."

"Yes of course! I'll sit with her." My response was instantaneous. As if I'd want to be anywhere else.

The leech of course had other ideas. "How about _I_ look after her and in the meantime you go reassure your family that everything is okay?"

"Hell no! I'm not leaving you alone with her for a moment longer than I have to!" My entire body protested at the thought of leaving her, even for a moment. As if I'd leave her alone with him once again! I might've made that mistake once already, but doing so twice in one day…? Out of the question! But…wait a minute. Family…he'd mentioned family. Oh shit… Dad!

"Hey Dad," I called out, feeling a strange mixture of shame and relief. (I really hadn't given any thought to his safety since this clusterfuck began; and I should have, I _so_ should have. I should've _also_ ensured that all of my brothers were okay. What sort of a son and alpha was I that such basic details had completely escaped my mind? Granted, I'd been a little preoccupied myself, but still, that was no excuse!) "How're you feeling?"

"I'm alright son" he said, giving me his usual bright smile (reassuring me in his own special way that he was alright and that he understood and forgave my neglect…) "especially now that I know that both you and Bella are going to be okay."

"Good, that's good." I gave him a huge smile before turning to my brothers. "How about you guys…? Everyone okay?"

"We're okay man." Quil answered for all of them. "How about you?"

"I'm okay…" I answered uncertainly. Somehow I didn't _feel_ okay, even though physically there was nothing wrong with me. I felt, different somehow… changed.

Before I could analyze it any further, Quil surprised me by pulling me into a fierce one armed hug. What the…? "You crazy son of a bitch, we thought we'd lost you!" Embry's illness and my disappearance had taken a toll on Quil's emotions. They were running high at the moment, it seemed.

I gave him a half-hearted but sincere smile. "Don't worry you're not getting out from under my command that easily! You're still mine to use and abuse the way I want to…"

"Ha! You wish!" He retorted, sounding almost like his normal smart aleck self. Unfortunately, the moment was far too fleeting.

"Seth, Sam, Paul…? Are they patrolling? Are they okay?"

"Yeah, they're on a three hour shift that ends in an hour approximately." Once again, it was Quil that answered. "They're fine. We all are, except for Embry…"

Ah yes, Embry. I'd consciously avoided asking about him for fear of what I'd find but now that the topic had come up anyway, I found myself desperately wanting to see how he was doing with my own eyes. I was dying to, in fact. And yet I hesitated. Because frantic as I was to see my best friend, I was also loathe to leave Bella; especially considering the fact that the leech was going to be latched onto her like… well… a leech.

Blondie (or Rosalie as she was more commonly known) rolled her eyes at my indecisiveness. "Relax little pup, Emmett and I will keep Edward company while Bella wakes up, won't we Emmett?"

What? Why? I didn't understand. Why would she go out of her way to help me?

"We will…?" Emmett, it seemed was just as clueless about his girlfriend/wife's motivations as I was. Unfortunately for him, the question did not seem to endear him to the Ice Queen at all. Instead of a clarification, he was rewarded for his efforts with one of the most vicious scowls I'd ever seen in my life. Ouch! "Uh… yes… of course we'll sit with Bella." He hastened to reiterate, while simultaneously edging Edward away from me. "Come on brother let's make sure Bella is all settled in the room, shall we?" Hmmm… apparently he wasn't just a dumb jock after all. (Or maybe he was and the blonde had just trained him really well…)

With no other explanations forthcoming, all I could do was give them both wordless nods of acknowledgement and hope that it was enough to convey to them my overwhelming gratitude.

My feet heavy with trepidation, I forced myself to walk over to the room where they were keeping Embry hooked onto various life support machines.

I barely noticed as Quil, Jared, Colin and Brady trailed in behind me. In stunned silence I took in the sight in front of me. I'd never seen Embry look like that. He was just lying there listlessly – pale, weak, utterly indefensible. The grey-white pallor of his skin was truly horrifying. And then there were the various tubes going in and out of him, pumping him chockfull with various medicines. He was literally being kept alive artificially. It was a somber sight.

"How is he?" I asked an emotionally exhausted Leah; moving to where she was hunched over at his bedside. She looked like crap, like she'd spent the night alternately crying and worrying, which she most likely had. "Any progress?" The slight shake of her head told me everything I needed to know.

Goddammit! I placed my hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry honey. He'll be fine. He has to be. You hear that, Em? You _have _to get better man. If not for Leah, then for Quil and me. You wouldn't just leave us alone to deal with her rage and her mood swings now, would you? Can you just imagine…? Leah's wrath concentrated on us without having you around to bear the brunt of it…? What a nightmare! Yikes, the heart shudders!"

I got a watery laugh and a weak swat for my efforts and congratulated myself on having elicited a reaction from her other than sheer stoicism. Feeling otherwise helpless, I walked over to Carlisle's side. "So, doc, what's wrong with him?"

I had a feeling that every supernatural ear in the household was trained on us.

"Honestly, Jacob… I don't know. We know they injected him with vampire venom. We've managed to get most of it out of his system. But as toxic as our venom is to your kind, we know that it has caused extensive damage to his internal organs, even in the brief amount of time it took Edward to get him to me. His internal organs have been affected. He's coded a number of times since he was brought here but thankfully, fortunately, we were able to bring him back in time."

"Coded – what does that mean exactly?" I asked, even though I had a sinking feeling I knew what he meant by it.

"It means that his body shut down, completely. If not for timely intervention, he would've died."

Fuck! _Fuck!_ That's what I'd been afraid of…

"The problem is that, in his case, as in yours, that supernatural healing ability all of you seem to have is working against him. His body is burning off the medicines faster than we can pump them in and I have no way of knowing whether what he _is_ getting is enough for him to heal himself. Besides, there's really no antidote for vampire venom anyway. He's holding his own now and that's the best piece of news we have. But for whether he'll recover, I can't give you any kind of an answer." He paused sorrowfully. "I'm sorry Jacob. I know that's the last thing you want to hear right now…"

Shocked, stunned silence. Cloying, smothering grief.

No. This couldn't be happening. Not to Embry. Not to my best friend. He couldn't die. I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't. Because even though I'd never admit this out loud to anyone – and would probably beat the living daylights out of anyone who dared say it out loud – I needed him. Just like I always had. Just like I _always_ would.

God, Embry… Oh God Embry…

None of us dared look the other in the eye for fear that we'd lose what little composure we had left. (Breaking down in front of the leeches was _not_ an option! We still had our pride, after all!) "Is…" I cleared my throat repeatedly hoping to get past the huge lump that was lodged there. "Is there anything that I can do? Some way that I can help…?"

"I don't really know." Carlisle sounded profoundly apologetic. "I don't have enough experience with your kind of healing to determine what, if anything might help."

"So, what're you saying?"

"I'm saying that there's nothing else I can do for your friend Jacob, I'm sorry."

No. No! He was not going to die, not on my watch, not like this. There had to be something I could do.

"What if we gave him some of my blood?" I was desperate, grasping at straws. "You said that the venom had affected his organs and that he wasn't healing properly, right? Well what if we gave him untainted, fresh blood? That should help, right? My blood might help heal his body, right? Right?"

"You know… that might actually work!" The good doctor breathed, looking for all the world like he'd been hit by a thunderbolt. "Why didn't I think of that sooner?" He muttered, chastising himself. "We'll have to run some tests for compatibility of course but it's certainly an idea worth trying out. And it's not like we have a whole lot of other ideas anyway. Yes, yes, this might be the best way. How about we take samples from every person from the pack and then we'll see who the best candidate is for the transfusion depending on whose blood is the closest match." Dr. Cullen jumped into action, barking out orders as he gathered supplies.

Finally! We were actually doing something instead of just sitting around twiddling our thumbs. "Quil, call in Sam, Seth and Paul." I ordered brusquely. "Everyone else, cooperate with Dr. Cullen in whatever he tells you. We're going to help Embry pull through this." I declared fiercely, as if just by saying it I was willing it so. "He's going to be just fine…and soon!"

No one dared disagree with me (especially since my fierce gaze warned them of the dire consequences they'd face for doing so.) One by one Carlisle drew blood from all of us (including Leah) and proceeded to isolate himself in his lab for the testing.

As we waited for the results, we all kind of drifted back to our respective vigils – me back to Bella's bedside; Leah back to Embry's; Colin, Brady and Jared out on patrols. Time lost all meaning as we played a waiting game. Waiting for Bella to wake up. (Why the hell wasn't she waking up yet?) Waiting to see who; if anyone; could help Embry…

"So what happened out there, man?" Quil's sudden question managed to scare the crap out of me. Apparently I'd been too engrossed in my own thoughts to realize that he'd followed me into the room. "One minute you, Embry and the leech go off towards Vladimir's lair and the next, the leech comes back with a messed up Embry in tow. I almost lost my shit right there, man. I'm telling you, if Leah hadn't intervened when she did, I'd have ripped the leech into tiny little pieces and turned him into fish bait!"

For a brief moment I savored the image that Quil's words evoked in my mind – thousands of pieces of Cullen floating around in the Pacific Ocean like chunks of ice floating around after they'd broken off from a glacier. Ah! What an image. His ice cold body parts would help lower the temperature of the water and contribute a little in reducing global warming. But it was only right. With the number of animals he'd killed over the last century he must've created a serious ecological imbalance in the various forests of the world. Therefore, it was only right that he help make things better.

Unfortunately my day dreams, pleasant as they were, couldn't last forever. Sighing in disappointment, I focused my wandering mind back on Quil and the rest of the pack members as well as our employees and staff members; who'd crowded in behind him to hear the story. I was noticeably reluctant to get into the gory details of my escape here, in front of the leeches as well as the civilians, but I didn't see any way out of it. Besides, being that we were all on the same team (Team Bella) now, I suppose I could make an effort to trust them a little.

Resigned to the situation, I walked out into what was essentially the main living room of the house and indicated for everyone else to do the same. (I really didn't want to disturb Bella in any way. Especially not since the doctor had indicated that she needed all the rest she could get.)

"We were ambushed." I began; once we were all assembled comfortably on the fancy chairs and sofas; answering Quil's previous question. "It was a trap. This guy has a freaking army of vampires at his disposal, not to mention the two teen-vamps from the Volturi guard that were here after the battle with Victoria and the newborns. They just came at us from out of nowhere and before we could even react to their presence, they'd zapped Embry with some kind of a tranquilizer dart. Before I even knew what was happening, Embry had collapsed by my side. I knew immediately that something was terribly wrong with him and so I urged the leech to bring him back to the doc while I distracted them." I recounted the events as I remembered them. "But it turns out, those bastard leeches had other plans for me and as soon as Eddie-boy was out of the picture, they hit me with actual tranq darts and carted me off to their boss."

"_Then_ what happened?" Seth piped in eagerly…almost too eagerly.

"What's going on?" I tossed back at him, knowing instinctively that his questions had an ulterior motive.

"Well…" He began hesitantly, "I don't know how to put this exactly… but everyone from the pack… we all passed out; for no apparent reason; at around the same time yesterday. None of us know what happened, just that we were out for some time and that when we came back, we felt strangely weak and powerless and that before we passed out, we all felt… you. I can't really explain it… but we were all wondering if you could shed some light on what went down…"

Shit! The wolf. I knew it; _knew_ with every breath in my body. He'd told me he'd siphoned power from the pack to aid our escape from Vladimir's lair. This is what he'd been talking about. Literally, siphoning their power. Holy fucking shit!

My anger at the wolf ratcheted up another notch. He had no right, no fucking right to leave my brothers defenseless.

'_Our brothers…'_ He whispered in my mind. _'And I didn't want to leave them defenseless. It was just an unavoidable complication…"_

'Yeah well, fuck you! I'll deal with you later. Right now I have more important things to think about!'

"Is everyone okay?" Another thought occurred to me, freezing my blood in my veins. "Embry…? He didn't…"

"No, no… for some reason he wasn't similarly affected."

Well, thank fuck for small mercies!

'_No…thank me! You think I'm selfish enough to just take whatever I want from our brothers without bothering about their well-being… well, I'm not! I chose not to take power from Embry…chose not to; because he was so desperately in need of it himself! I knew the others could handle themselves and recover… but I knew Embry was in no position to…'_

Grudgingly I acknowledged that the wolf had at least acted in the best interests of everyone concerned. True I was still not happy about my pack mates being powerless for any amount of time. But that one action had gotten Bella and me out of an impossible situation so I couldn't complain… much.

"So, you're all okay?" I didn't matter that I was being repetitive. I just had to make sure.

"Yeah we're fine… thanks to Lisa here."

Okay, what the fuck? This was the second time in as many minutes that my brothers had mentioned Bella's friend… and in extremely glowing terms at that.

"I…I didn't actually do all that much…" Lisa stuttered shyly.

"Oh please, stop underestimating yourself. You were brilliant, simply brilliant!"

For a brief moment I was struck by the look in Seth's eyes. It was a look I'd never seen on his face before. He almost looked… _tender_. Ladies' man Seth, confirmed bachelor Seth, 'there are way too many beautiful women in this world to settle down with just one' Seth. Wow. _This_ was most definitely an unexpected development. Not unwelcome, for sure, just… unexpected.

Clearly, something was going on here and I was determined to find out what it was. But, first things first. "What does Lisa have to do with any of this?" I questioned; probing gently.

"Yeah well, it turns out that she was harboring a secret identity of her own all this while. Our darling Lisa comes from a long line of very powerful witches!" Seth replied, sounding dead serious and almost giddily pleased all at the same time. "She helped all of us to heal faster than we normally would have."

Say what now…? I was in shock. Prim and proper, tiny little Lisa – a witch?

How could we not know about this? How could she have been hiding this little nugget of information from us, especially since she knew all of our secret identities? Did Bella know? And if so, why hadn't she told us till now?

I could feel the fierce satisfaction of the wolf, the almost visceral sense of pleasure he got from this revelation and that's when it finally sunk in – the most pertinent piece of information in this whole scenario. We now had a witch of our own. Combined with all of the other resources at our disposal, this was the break we'd been looking for; the edge we'd desperately needed. Between my newly discovered superpowers and this, we now had a chance, however slight, of taking on that asshole Vladimir and emerging victorious.

Spurred on by this unexpected piece of news, I realized that the time had come to put all the cards on the table. This however, was easier said than done. "Uh… I don't really know how to say this. And I know it's going to sound insane. But you've got to trust me and just listen to what I have to say with an open mind…"

"Jeez just spit it out already!" Brady called out from the back of the room.

I rewarded him with my most withering glare. Fucking hormonal, temperamental teenagers! No patience, honestly. Well, fine. If they just needed the highlights, I was more than happy to oblige, the consequences be damned. "Vladimir has a witch of his own – who's a bitch, by the way – and she tried to put a spell on me to drain me of my powers. Well to make a long story short, shit happened and her plan backfired, big time. Instead of draining my powers like she'd planned to, she only succeeded in bringing down the wall in my psyche that helped separate my human self from my wolf. So now, I can basically feel him, hear him and talk to him, whenever I want to without having to shift first. Similarly, he can see and feel and experience everything I'm feeling.

"Fuck!" Paul swore succinctly. "Is that how you got away?"

"Yes. When you passed out, that was basically the wolf harnessing all of your powers in order to overpower the vampire and his army of minions."

I trailed off, slightly unnerved by the reception my news got from the pack. They were all looking at me as if I'd just declared that I was the second coming of Jesus or something. Well shit! Apparently I had my very own flock of groupies now. Who woulda thought, huh?

"Holy shit! That's amazing!" Colin and Brady breathed at almost the same time. "So you're saying that you're even more powerful now? That's absolutely brilliant! What else can you do now? Can you harness the wolf's power even while you're in human form…? Can you run faster?" They were both staring at me like I was their very own superhero come to life. Oh boy! This was not good. This was not good at all.

I had a good mind to yell at them and tell them to grow the hell up… and I would have too, except, something inside me – a sixth sense – told me that Bella was finally awake. It was like a jolt to my system; a strange pull telling me that I had to go to her, _now_. For once, I didn't try to resist it. _Couldn't_ resist it. The pull was too strong.

Without pausing to explain myself or my actions to my avid audience, I turned around and sprinted towards her room as quickly as I humanly could. I just had to see her, to hold her in my arms again. Nothing else was important; not the leech, not the crisis we were dealing with; nothing! She was _all_ that mattered.

I burst into the room; my eyes greedily seeking out the one I loved beyond all reason.

Fortunately for my peace of mind and sanity, she seemed to have been equally desperate to see me too. "Bells…" The overwhelming pleasure and relief I felt were impossible to hide and I didn't even bother to try.

"Jake…" She breathed softly, her voice skittering along all my nerve endings and bringing them all to life.

_Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. My mate. _

The wolf purred inside me, content to finally be within touching distance of his mate. There was only one potential problem on the horizon and that was the presence of not one but _three_ leeches in the room.

"Out, all of you!" I commanded hoarsely, not bothering to spare the leeches even a single glance. (I wasn't trying to be deliberately rude. I just had this overwhelming need to be alone with her.)

"Like hell!" Edward scoffed.

"_Now!_" My tone made it clear that this was an order, not a request.

The leech bristled. "_Don't_ try to give me orders, mutt! I'm not one of your posse that I'll automatically fall in line!"

Some truce, huh?

"Edward…" Bella broke in nervously before I could respond to that insult. "Can I please have some time alone with Jake?"

Take that, leech! I could practically _feel_ myself gloating.

"But…" The leech sounded devastated. "You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what he's done…"

Oh fuck no! He was not going to tell her lies and half-truths, not on my watch! "_Don't!_" I snarled violently. (I didn't want to fight with him; especially considering the fact that I'd suggested the truce in the first place; but I would if I had to. No way in hell was I letting him narrate his skewed version of events to Bella. As if I didn't have enough problems of my own…)

"Come on, Edward," Emmett intervened. "You heard the lady. Let's leave them alone for now. We'll come back in a little while, okay?"

"Bella…" The bloodsucker pleaded. "Are you _sure?_"

Rosalie snapped. "Oh for fuck's sake, Edward; _yes_ she's sure! She's _asking_ you to leave. How much more _sure_ can she be?"

In the face of Blondie's words, the leech seemed to deflate like a balloon. He finally seemed to realize that there wasn't much he could do except respect Bella's wishes.

For a brief moment I actually felt sorry for the leech. I knew what losing Bella felt like. (I'd lived through it for six years and it was hell. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone, even my worst enemy.) Then I reminded myself that the leech was, in fact, my worst enemy and that there was no reason to show him any mercy. After all, he hadn't.

Finally, after what seemed like ages but was only in fact a couple of minutes, Bella and I were alone in the room. My first instinct was to snatch her in my arms and smother her with hugs and kisses but in lieu of the fact that she'd just woken up from being heavily sedated and was currently residing in what amounted to a hospital bed, I settled for just holding her hand in both of mine.

Even that small, barely there contact seemed to soothe the desperate yearnings of the animal within. I took a deep breath and basked in the peace and quiet… and the sheer joy she brought to my life.

God, it almost felt like we'd not seen each other in ages… as if we were the only two people in the entire world. (Call me an optimist but I didn't think it was all about the mating…) We drank each other in –frantically, desperately – as if we were starved for just one more glimpse of the other. No one else existed in that moment… just the two of us, cocooned in our love. The feeling was indescribable, the high… inexpressible.

I leaned over and rested my forehead against hers, reveling in the sheer intimacy of the moment. "You okay, honey?" I questioned softly.

"Hmmm…" She moaned happily.

My breath caught in my throat, that noise creating havoc with my whole respiratory system. How the hell did she do that; reduce me to a pathetic, desperate man with just one action…?

Before I could say or do anything, Lisa, Dylan and Renee came rushing into the room. Dammit to hell! Was it too much to ask for some time alone with my girl? Apparently, it was.

"Bella!" Renee exclaimed happily, pulling Bella into her arms for a tight hug. "Oh my baby… how are you feeling? Are you alright? You gave us all such a fright, disappearing the way you did. And then to get a call from Dr. Cullen saying that you'd been in a minor car accident! God darling, I almost had a nervous breakdown. It's a good thing Jake here found you when he did or who knows how long it would've been before someone found you… I can't even bear to think about it honey."

What the…? I risked a quick glance at Dylan over Renee's shoulder, a questioning frown marring my face.

"Magic…" He mouthed softly.

Oooohh… okay.

Bella looked a little confused but thankfully, she didn't say or do anything to contradict the statement. (She'd had enough experience with cover stories to mess with one.)

"I'm fine mom… don't worry." She reassured Renee; squirming to get free of the tight hug without much of a success. "Mom…? Mom! You can let go now… really!" She made her wishes known, loud and clear.

Renee eased back, wiping her eyes discreetly. "Oh dear… I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so emotional. I must be nearing menopause or something…"

All of our faces flamed brightly and we made a conscious effort to avoid each other's gazes. "Mom!" Bella groaned loudly. "That's… that's too much information!"

"Oh, oops. Sorry." Renee giggled. "Anyway, I was just waiting for you to wake up to tell you that I have to leave now."

"Leave…?" Bella questioned. "Where are you going?"

"Back home to Florida of course…"

"What? Why?"

Dylan, Lisa and I studiously refused to look at each other or at Bella for that matter. Still, I felt like our guilt was stamped on all of our faces for everyone to see.

"Phil needs me. I have to go."

"Come on Mom. You can stay just a few more days, can't you? Once Carlisle gives me the go ahead, I'll drive you down to Seattle myself."

"Phil needs me. I have to leave. I have to leave now."

Wow! This was some pretty powerful shit!

"Okay…" Bella's face was scrunched up in confusion. "If you have to go now, you have to go now I guess."

Renee gave Bella one more hug, promised to call often and walked out of the room before any of us could say anything.

Bella looked on silently; her eyes moist with tears, her disappointment acutely palpable.

Dammit, now I felt guilty. And I could make out by the expression on her face that Lisa felt the same way. But what could we do? We didn't have a choice in the matter. Renee _had_ to leave… for the sake of her own well-being. I appeased some of my remorse by promising myself that once this shit was behind us I would fly Bella down to Florida so that she could spend some quality time with her Mom.

"Are you _really _alright?" Lisa questioned suddenly – in what was to me at least – an obvious attempt to distract Bella from her mother's abrupt and weird departure. Her eyes were haunted; her voice was heavy with the weight of her knowledge. But there was also real concern behind her inquiry. Real, honest to goodness fear. She knew that there was more to the story of Bella's kidnapping than any of us were letting on and she wasn't all wrong.

The usually cocky Dylan looked shaken too as he walked over to the other side of the bed and claimed Bella's remaining free hand with his own. For once I didn't mind. Even though the wolf was chafing at the fact that some other male was touching our mate, I knew what that touch was really about. There wasn't anything romantic about it. It was simply about need – the need to make sure that Bella was really here and that she was safe. Both Lisa and Dylan were clearly shaken to their core – it would've been obvious even to the most oblivious person in the world. Couldn't really blame them; after all, they knew the actual story as opposed to the official one. They knew how close to death Bella had come last night and the knowledge clearly sat very heavily on them.

"Yes sweetie, I'm really fine. Just feel a little tired and woozy, but other than that, no issues."

The moment those words left her mouth, both Lisa and Dylan swooped in and threw their arms around Bella in a three-way hug, pushing me to the sidelines. "Don't you _ever_ do that to us again!" Dylan whisper-yelled at Bella. "You have no idea what you put us through, Izzy! I think I just aged fifty years in one night and it's all _your fault!_"

"Oh don't worry," Bella laughed shakily, "I have no intention of ever going through something like that, ever again."

To my sharp senses, the shudder of disgust was very prominent. As was the tremor in her voice. And they were both as excruciatingly painful to me as nails being slowly drilled into my body.

Thankfully before the torture could go on any further, Carlisle peeked into the room. "Bella!" His face broke into an easy smile seeing her awake. "I thought I heard your voice! How are you feeling?"

"Carlisle!" She responded with a smile and open arms, as if demanding a hug. Carlisle laughed and obliged. "I'm feeling fine. Just a little tired and a tad disoriented…"

"That's not unusual, after everything you went through. But, just to be safe, I'd like to run some more tests on you now if you don't mind. Don't worry; it's all very routine…" Sensing our worry, Dr. Cullen hastened to reassure us.

"Yes of course. Whatever you think is needed."

"Alright then…this will only take a few minutes." He declared, snapping on his sterile gloves. He turned his attention to the rest of the people in the room. "All of you can wait outside for a couple of minutes." Carlisle said, discreetly but firmly telling us that our presence was not needed.

I didn't want to go, not at all. But I couldn't insist on being here… it was after all, Bella's choice. "Uh… Bells, I'll be right outside, okay?" I explained hesitantly.

"Don't worry Jacob. This will only take a minute or two…" Carlisle reiterated softly in an attempt to calm my nerves.

Thankful and yet strangely reluctant, I stepped outside and parked myself on the floor just outside the doorway. I wasn't going any further than was strictly needed, no way. Also this way, I could hear whatever was being said inside the room. (Not that I didn't trust the good doctor because I did. I was just feeling a little paranoid right now as far as Bella was concerned and I blamed it completely on my wolfy self.)

Wanting to give both of them some privacy I tuned out most of the conversation from inside the room, just keeping my ears open for anything unusual. Everything seemed to be going alright, Carlisle seemed to be quite happy with the progress Bella had made in the short time she'd been here.

And then…

"Do you mind telling me how you got this scar?" He questioned cautiously.

Oh CRAP!

"Scar? What scar? Where?" Bella questioned.

"Right here, on the side of your neck…" Carlisle must've pointed it out.

"No, I don't know… what is it?"

"It…" He cleared his throat loudly. "It looks like a bite mark."

Shit. Shit. SHIT!

"Bite mark?" Bella squeaked, making no attempt to disguise her fear or her disgust.

My fault. All of it, my fault. Fuck!

"Did he…" Carlisle was clearly hesitant to bring the topic up. "Did the vampire drink from you, Bella?"

"I…I don't remember." She whispered. "Maybe… yes…"

"Okay, okay. Relax. You don't need to worry about it. We already know that this type of vampire does not secrete venom. So, physically, other than fatigue, there should be no other consequences of him feeding from you. Although…" Carlisle trailed off in confusion, "this bite doesn't look like a vampire bite to me. There are no pinpricks. I don't understand. It almost looks like a human bite…"

Oh holy shit! I panicked.

I'd have to explain myself now, although I had absolutely no idea _how_…

What was I going to say? How in the world would I explain something that I had so little understanding of myself? Of course I knew that I'd have to eventually tell Bella everything… about the wolf and the mating bond and the repercussions of said bond. But I hadn't gone so far as to deciding what to say or do. The grand total of my plan so far had included my explaining myself to Bella, and her understanding the situation and forgiving me. (She would. Of course she would. She loved me after all.) How I'd actually go about telling her was not something I'd given much thought to.

Dammit! I just wished she and I had some privacy for the conversation. Doing this here, now – in such close proximity of a dozen prying eyes and ears – just seemed wrong somehow. This was a conversation that should be between Bella and me. Just between Bella and me. It was a private matter dammit. Just the thought of everyone listening in – Alice, Jasper, Emmett, _Edward_…

_Fuck!_

_Let no one else have heard that, please God…_

Oh who was I kidding…? This house was filled to the brim with supernatural creatures whose sense of hearing was sharper than that of any wild animal on the face of the earth. Of course they'd all heard what was being said in the room. My only hope – small though it was – was to hope that no one would connect that bite mark with me.

Of course, I hadn't taken into account the leech's reaction...

The sound of his feral snarls; along with the sound of Rosalie, Emmett and Alice's attempts to calm him down; could be heard all over the damn house.

_Fuck! _I was pretty sure that the guilt I was feeling was just stamped on my face!

"Holy shit!" Quil exclaimed. "It was _you_? _You_ bit her?"

Oops. Busted!

I whipped around at the exclamation, with a good mind to strangle my friend for his lack of tact as well as his horrendous sense of timing, only to discover that I was under the goddamn scrutiny of each and every person in the room and they were all staring at me as if I'd not only murdered their pet cat but also dismembered it right in front of their very eyes.

Damn it all to hell! And just when the day had started to finally look up!

**A/N: - So…? Did I make up for my long absence? And more importantly, did I make up for the way I left off in the last chapter? I know there wasn't that much of J/B action in this chapter and I know that that's what most of you are waiting for. All I can say is that it's coming. Soon. Most of the stuff in this chapter, while seemingly unexciting, just needed to be said for the sake of the story's progression. I hope you bear with me. Basically, I just assumed that you wouldn't want all this other extraneous stuff interfering with all the upcoming B/J goodness that I have planned for us. Was I wrong? Or did I do good? I sure hope for the latter.**

**Anyway, so I got way less reviews for last chapter than I usually do and I'm kinda curious. Was that because you just didn't **_**like **_**last chapter or was it because all these long, interminable delays have just made you lose interest…? Are you still with me? Yes or no, I'd really like to know the answer. So, if you're still here and reading the story, can you just, maybe, raise your hand and yell out your continuing interest, please? Seriously. I'd really, really like to know. And expanding on the same theme, please don't forget to review and tell me what you think of the chapter! Thanks...**

**And finally, a great, big, huge 'Thank You' to Erin, my kickass soulmate/beta. She's the bestest beta out there and an even better friend. Honestly, I don't know anyone else who can put up with all my crap the way she does. She's awesome. Nuf' said! She brainstorms with me as long as I want to and reads and re-reads my work till it is damn near perfect. Yes, she's kind of a slave driver (:P) but I love her for it. Honestly, if you like this chapter at all, it is thanks in large part due to her hard work and patience. In fact, this entire story is possible, only because of her encouragement and support. She just won't let me quit…even when I really, _really_ want to! And for that and everything else that she does and is, I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, soulmate. You rock!**

**Also, a huge, **_**huge**_** thank you to Wendy for being so awesomely encouraging and supportive. She's a great friend and I'm lucky to have her in my corner. She's always available to talk when I need her and knows exactly how to make things better when they pretty much suck. She's one of my most ardent supporters and just talking to her reminds me of all the reasons I started to write this story in the first place. Thank you sweetie. You're the best!**

**And now... go review please. Go on, what're you waiting for, huh? :) **


	35. Chapter 32 Part 1

**Chapter 32 **

**Part 1 **

**Disclaimer: - Please don't sue me. I own nothing except my laptop, my imagination and an undying passion for Jacob Black.**

**A/N: - It feels like saying sorry has become a bad habit of mine. :( I've been dragging my feet over this chapter for almost 2 months now. For some reason or the other, I just haven't felt inspired enough. But then, the trailers of BD started playing on the telly, incessantly, I might add and the thought of Jacob and the shitty deal he was soon going to be given made me find my lost rhythm once again! **

**I know it doesn't feel like it, but we're nearing the end of the story now. Per my calculations, there should be only about 5-6 chapters left in fact, so things will start coming together soon. I can't promise regular updates, no matter how much I want to (the crazy dictates of real life just don't leave me with the luxury to do so), but I urge all of you to hang in there just a little longer. I am trying to finish the story off as soon as I possibly can. Hopefully, the inspiration caused by the release of the movie will last for a little while longer. :)**

**As always, the chapter is dedicated to my brilliant beta Erin and to my friend Wendy. Thanks for all the love and support guys! :)**

**Previously****on****Unforgettable:****-**

While rescuing Bella from Vladimir's clutches, Jacob's inner 'wolf' takes over (without his knowledge) and claims Bella as his mate. Jake; when he finds out about it; freaks and tries to undo the damage, but screws up big time and leaves Bella in Edward's care in the process. Later, realizing his mistake he rushes back to Bella's side.

Edward and Jake; having declared a temporary truce; take Bella back to the Cullen compound where she is checked over by Carlisle. During that check-up, Carlisle notices the mating mark on Bella's neck and questions her about it; resulting in the Cullen's and the pack also getting clued in on his secret.

**JPOV**

"Holy shit!" Quil exclaimed. "It was _you_? _You're_the one who bit her?"

_Oh fucking hell!_

The silence that followed Quil's completely ill-timed query was deafening.

Every single eye in the house was fixed on me. Questioning. Disbelieving. Alarmed.

And me…? I was stunned. Shocked. Speechless. This had to be a dream, right? He couldn't really have blurted that out in front of everyone, could he? Holy crap, my dad was here, I realized; panicking. And as if _that_ wasn't bad enough; _Bella's_ dad was here. No, it had to be one of those horrible, seemingly never-ending nightmares, right? Like the ones where you stumble into class late and everyone bursts out laughing because you're naked? Yup, that's exactly what it was. A nightmare. (I _had_ to keep believing that or I'd lose my _freaking_ mind!)

"_Bite_ her?" An incredulous voice (_Charlie's_ voice) exclaimed. Dammit, so much for wishful thinking, huh? I was... _horrified_to say the least_._This could not be happening. Not to me. Not now. Oh Jesus, _please_ let it be a dream. I'd _give_ anything; _do_ anything for it to be a dream!

"Why would he _bite_ my daughter? What does that even mean? What's going on here?" Charlie continued, sounding more and more incensed when his questions were met with a blank, stunned silence.

So, not a dream then…? _Goddammit!_ My mind was overcome with images of a shotgun toting Charlie giving me hell for defiling his only daughter and for being stupid enough to assume that I was in any way worthy of her. Jesus! That's it. I was a dead man. Moreover, _Quil_ was a dead man. I was gonna murder him, tear him apart with my own two hands. Strangle him. Smother him. Tear his freaking heart out. Ugh!

"Charlie, hey, you're awake!" I exclaimed, trying desperately to inject my voice with false joviality. All the while, my brain was churning frantically, trying to come up with a semi-logical reason for the unexpected revelation.

Charlie, unfortunately, was in no mood to be appeased. "I'm waiting for an explanation, son!" He went on, sounding ominously calm.

"Uh..." I looked around at my brothers, begging them to jump in with a distraction. Unfortunately, they seemed to be as shocked as I was. Either that or they were terrified of Charlie. Cowards! None of them even had the guts to look me in the eyes.

Dammit, I had to say something. I couldn't just stand there like a dumb idiot. I was a smart enough guy. If I thought hard enough, I could come up with a reasonable explanation, couldn't I? Something that would make absolute sense. Something that would explain Quil's revelation. Something that would make me out to be the hero even. Not the truth, obviously, (because _that_ would be an utter, unmitigated disaster) but something. _Any_thing. But _what?_ To my horror, my mind continued to be an utterly, completely blank slate. Jesus!

"Well...?" Charlie was a cop, with a cop's intuition. He could smell a rat in the way everyone was fidgeting around and refusing to say anything. Wow, what a bunch of supernatural creatures we made, huh? We couldn't even keep a teeny-tiny secret!

And shit, I was no better. Idiot! Moron! "Uh... it doesn't mean anything Charlie." I stuttered nervously, lying through my teeth in an effort to pacify his suspicions. "Quil was just joking. Right Quil? You were just messing with me, w_eren't_ you?" My pointed question didn't leave Quil in any doubt about the repercussions he'd face if he made the gross error of disagreeing with me.

"Joke? It didn't sound like a joke to me." Charlie muttered irritably, sounding less than convinced.

"Don't mind them, old man." My dad piped in suddenly; apparently having recovered from his shock over Quil's outburst. Oh, _Thank__God!_ "They're just fooling around. Young people these days! Their idea of a joke is completely beyond our understanding."

"Hmmpf..." Charlie grunted, either in agreement or anger, I couldn't determine.

"No, really Chief...I was _just_ teasing Jake. Ha ha. Hilarious, right?" Quil fell all over himself, trying to make amends.

The rest of the guys burst into forced raucous little, too late, in my very frank opinion, but thankfully Charlie was still under the influence of some heavy medication and therefore, sufficiently out of it that he didn't catch on to everyone's blatantly false joviality. (But boy, was I going to have to face the music once he was recovered enough to revert back to his usual sharp self... especially since the wolf's actions had guaranteed that Charlie and I would be closely associated with each other for the rest of our lives – that is; providing Bella chose to accept me as her mate, of course. My God, I might even have to let him in on my dirty little, furry secret. _That_ was one conversation I was _not_ looking forward to, for sure. Fucking hell! Better not to think about it until I had absolutely no other choice left!)

Fortunately for my current peace of mind, Charlie seemed to forget Quil's faux pa rather quickly. (Thank God for modern medicine, _especially_ sedatives!) He grumbled some more about the inappropriateness of our jokes but other than that, he allowed my Dad and Sue to distract him from the topic.

With the crisis averted, I gave Quil a death glare and tipped my head indicating that I'd like to have some words with him in the corner. For once, Quil caught on instantly (which, if I thought about it, was a minor miracle in itself.)

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?" Quil heatedly took up his earlier line of questioning the moment we were out of range of all prying ears.

Really? Really? He was _still_ insisting on being all high and mighty? As if _nothing_ out of the ordinary had happened. As if he hadn't just very nearly landed all of us in county jail. Or even worse, an institution for the criminally insane! _Really?_

"Me?" I whisper-yelled, just barely holding onto the vestiges of my temper. "What the _hell_ were _you_ thinking? What're you...12? How could you just blurt that out in front of everyone? In front of the leeches...? And Charlie! Jesus! What if he'd refused to let the matter go, huh? What were you gonna tell him – the truth? Were you going to tell him that I'm a werewolf; that we're _all_ werewolves and that we turn into giant, horse sized creatures whenever we sense the presence of vampires around us...? Oh, but wait, then you'd have to acknowledge that vampires are real too. Then you could also tell him that his daughter was married to one for a couple of years during which time, she thought of becoming one of them just so she could be with him for all eternity?"

"Alright, alright jeez... enough already. I get your point, okay?" He muttered shamefully.

But I wasn't done with him, not by a long shot. He'd almost landed us in a catastrophe of epic proportions. There was no easy way out of that. He'd just have to suck it up and face the music. "Jesus Quil, isn't it bad enough that we're stuck here in vampire central, hiding from another psychotic vamp who wants us all dead just so that he can get his hands on the woman I love and do God knows what with her? What, did you think we needed yet another complication on top of that?"

To his credit, Quil managed to look somewhat contrite. "I'm sorry, Jake!"

_Sorry...?_ That's _all_he had to say right now? Oh, for fuck's sake! Sometimes I felt like I was still in charge of a bunch of teenage boys instead of a group of powerful supernatural warriors. Would they _ever_ grow up? Not if their behavior's were any indication. (And God, was this how Sam had felt when dealing with us while he was in charge? If so, he had my eternal respect and admiration for not losing his shit and ordering us all to jump off the freaking cliffs of La Push a long time ago!) "Well just see to it that it doesn't happen again!" I snapped, unwilling to let him off the hook so easily and yet, unable to express myself the way I really wanted to, in front of so many civilian spectators (namely Charlie).

"But, that still doesn't answer the question, does it? Why _did_ you bite her?" Colin interjected hesitantly from behind me; bringing home the fact that Quil and I weren't the only two people having in this conversation anymore. Somehow, while Quil and I had been involved in our little...er...squabble, the rest of the pack had managed to sneak in on us and now they were standing behind us, shamelessly eavesdropping on our conversation. Dammit to hell! Couldn't a guy have some freaking privacy around here? And what was worse; call it a hunch, but I was _almost_ sure that none of the Cullen's – for all their gentility and their oh-so-impeccable manners – were trying too hard to shut out the argument either.

Grrrrrr!

"Yes Jacob, _do_ tell us why you bit her. I'm really curious to know, you see... _especially_ after all the crap you usually give us 'leeches' for our tendency to...oh, you know, _bite_ people. What is that name you call us –? Oh yeah, Bloodsuckers! Well now, look who's biting people and sucking their blood!" Vampire barbie taunted; whispering theatrically near my ear; as if just to reinforce my suspicion from a few minutes ago. (Dammit, I _hated_ being in vampire central! The entire house was so saturated with 'Eu de leech' that it played havoc with our senses, allowing all of them to sneak in on us without our knowledge.)

"Yeah, Jacob, do _tell_ us." Emmett just couldn't seem to resist teasing me mercilessly. "Inquiring minds want to know..."

No. Just… no. This could _not_ be happening. First Quil, then Charlie, then Colin and then the leeches. What was it with all the incessant questions, huh? I felt as if I was being interrogated by Homeland security on a matter of national defense, for heaven's sake! Like I was just going to come right out and confess or something. Yeah right!

There was no way in _hell_ I was going to discuss any of this with the multitude of people present here. Not before I spoke to Bella. (Maybe not even _after_…) No freaking way. She was the one who I owed the explanation to, not them. She was the one who deserved to know first, not them. Especially when the 'them' in question included my mortal enemies for heaven's sake! And Edward...let's not forget about him! (Yeah, he got a category all of his own. What was worse than mortal enemy, huh? Whatever it was, that's what he was.) We might've come to a sort of understanding where we had decided to try and not kill each other until Bella was safe, but still. He'd made it perfectly clear that the truce would be over as soon as Vladimir was destroyed. And I really wasn't stupid enough to give him even more ammunition to use against me later on.

To that end, I called out decisively, "Alright listen up, people, this matter is not up for discussion, not now at least. It is something that is private to Bella and me and no one else has a right to interfere in what is essentially our business. So, I'll thank all of you to stay the hell out of it!"

"What do you mean it's not up for discussion right now? You _bit_ her!" Colin retorted, sounding scandalized.

Goddammit! I should've known it wouldn't be as simple as that. Meddling gossipmongers, the whole lot of them! (The Rez was a small, tight-knit group and as such that closeness gave everyone the impression that it was okay to interfere in each other's personal lives whenever they felt like it. Ugh!)

Instead of losing my head over the matter and boxing the little twerp's ears like I really wanted to, I did the next best thing. I just turned around without a word and as discreetly as I possibly could, made my way back into Bella's room. Should I have faced my problems head on…? Probably. I knew a lot of people would be quick to dole out that kind of new-agey advice. But then if I'd stayed and followed that advice, we would've had a cold blooded massacre on our hands and I'd be going to prison for the rest of my godforsaken life and _that_ wouldn't have been good for anyone involved now, would it? So all in all, my way was much more effective and helpful in the long run.

Thankfully, the pack members as well as the leeches had the presence of mind to recognize the thin, razor sharp line I was treading and let me go without comment.

Thank fuck! Maybe there was some hope for them after all!

Carlisle was just finishing up the physical exam when he noticed my presence. "Jacob," He motioned me closer, his expression bordering on grave, "I'm glad you're here. In fact, I was just about to come get you."

Instantly, the irritation caused by Quil and Colin's intrusive questions faded, only to be replaced by concern. "What? Why? What's wrong?" I didn't mean to sound rude or panicky, I really didn't, but god, this was Bella's well-being we were talking about here. Could anyone blame me for being tense and on edge? The girl had the tendency to get hurt and injured at the drop of a freaking hat. Not to mention, she'd just gone though a horrific ordeal – one that had potentially physical side effects.

"Oh, don't worry. Nothing's wrong with Bella." The doctor hastened to reassure me. "Like I mentioned earlier, she seems to be in remarkable health for someone who's gone through all that she has over the last day and a half. In fact, it's almost miraculous." I noticed passingly that the doctor sounded amazed, almost incredulous. His reaction was a cause for concern, for sure, but I was too busy being grateful to dissect the how's and the why's of the situation at the moment. I was just interested in knowing that there was nothing wrong with Bella and that she was going to be okay.

It seemed that the good doctor was on the same page. This became apparent to me as soon as he continued his previous train of thought. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll agree that right now, it isn't important why Bella's doing so well; just that she is. But leaving all that aside, she _does_ have a few gaps in her memory regarding some of her injuries that seem to be bothering her. And since you were the only person present at the time she incurred them, I thought it prudent that you were the one to answer to address her queries."

"Questions…?" I called out weakly, the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach making itself known quite prominently.

God, _no,_ not the bite mark. _Anything_ but the bite mark!

Carlisle fidgeted around, clearly as uncomfortable with the whole situation as I was, albeit for very different reasons. "Bella has some… uh… scarring on her…uh… neck region that she can't account for."

Crap! Idly I wondered if trying to make a run for it at this point of time was a viable option. No, Bella would probably notice if disappeared all of a sudden, wouldn't she? Yes, she probably would. Dammit! "Scarring...?" I questioned weakly. Maybe he meant some other scar that I didn't know about. And maybe dogs would sprout wings and start to fly! (Cuz, _yeah,_ it wasn't as if I'd memorized every sexy, glorious inch of her naked body last night, had I?)

"Uh... it's a bite mark, actually." Carlisle clarified, much to my utter chagrin. (Huh. Apparently he _did_ mean what I thought he meant. What a fucking surprise!) "Now, Bella does remember Vladimir feeding from her. (God, why couldn't she have forgotten about that?) Only, this mark doesn't resemble a bite mark of a feeding vampire."

"It doesn't?" I questioned weakly. Of _course_ it didn't! Because it _wasn't_ a vampire bite! Well, shit! _Now_ what?

"No. A feeding vampire, especially _that_ kind of vampire has a set of extremely pointed incisors which elongate in times of physical hunger or uh...sometimes in situations of extreme sexual desire. Now while feeding, these incisors are used for puncturing the victim's skin. The only marks left from these types of invasions are two tiny puncture marks. The injury on Bella's neck, on the other hand, resembles a human bite, with a full impression of a complete set of teeth." Fucking hell! Could he _be_ any more detailed? His words, the mental images they invoked! Oh God! It made me want to jump off a freaking cliff is what it did.

"Now, the injury isn't too severe or anything," The doc continued, blithely unaware of my acute discomfort, "but…uh… considering the fact that the rest of her body is totally unblemished, it _is_ rather curious."

"What do you mean, curious?" I question, jumping on the opportunity to change the topic, at least momentarily.

"Well... taking into account the considerable trauma her body's undergone she should've had more wounds, more scars on her body... _something._"

I glared. What the hell? It almost felt as if the good doctor _wanted_ her to be injured.

"Not that we aren't grateful for her miraculous recovery, because we _are_." He hastened to add; taking in and correctly interpreting my expression. "I think I'm going to order a few more tests, just to be sure."

"More tests?" I inquired hesitantly. "Why...?" That didn't sound very encouraging.

"Because, there _has_ to be a logical explanation for this. Unless..." He trailed off in a horrified whisper.

My blood pressure shot through the roof. "_What?_ Unless what?"

Carlisle paid no attention to my queries. Instead he leaned over Bella urgently. "Bella, did he make you drink his blood?"

No way. Nuh uh! No _fucking_ way!

"What? No!" Bella's instant reaction was the only thing that kept me from losing my mind.

I took a deep breath, letting my heart slow down to its normal rhythm while simultaneously keeping a close watch on the leech's responses. "You're sure?" He questioned again, although with a lot less intensity this time.

"Yes, I'm sure! I would remember something like that, I'm sure of it!"

There was no hesitation or doubt in Bella's voice. She sounded very sure of herself.

I breathed a sigh of relief. And then...

"Wa...wait a minute. I... I... he made me drink something out of a cup after he took my blood."

Son of a _bitch!_I knew I was shaking violently; in danger of phasing; but I seemed to have no control over my actions. The thought of Bella (_my_ Bella) being forced to drink that bastard's blood... it drove me fucking crazy!

Even Carlisle seemed a little out of sorts. "Did he tell you what it was? Did it have any immediate effect of your condition? Do you remember how it tasted?" He bombarded her with question after question without pause.

"I... I remember feeling sick and passing out. Then he forced something down my throat and I felt better." Carlisle's face tightened marginally. And I wasn't the only one who noticed. Bella sagged in on herself, the toll finally becoming too much to bear.

Goddammit! I felt so useless... so goddamn _helpless_ in this situation. What the fuck was I supposed to do? I didn't even know what it meant or if there were any side-effects to an ordinary human drinking vampire blood. What I _did_ know for a fact was that the woman I loved had been forced into doing something that she didn't want to do and for that, I was going to skewer that bastard and slow roast him over an open flame! But that resolution, while great on paper would have to wait. And I still didn't know what to do or how to react in the time being, dammit! Should I console her or just go out and kill the bastard? What would make her feel better? God, I was so not equipped to handle such situations. Not when I was trying desperately to keep a lid of my own emotions.

"W...wait!" Bella suddenly exclaimed, her voice falling into the shocked silence in the room. "I remember something! He... he called it a potion. Said he had his witch brew it up and that it would help me heal quicker."

Oh Jesus... thank you, God!

The leech's expression revealed the same level of relief at having just escaped a potentially disastrous situation. He hastened to change the topic as soon as he could. "So Jacob, as I was saying earlier before things got a little out of hand, Bella and I were kind of hoping that you could shed some light on her injury for us, considering that you were present for at least a part of her captivity…"

Holy fuck! Damn if this didn't make me feel worse about myself than I had before. The topic of the blood exchange had just left a sour taste in my mouth. I couldn't even begin to imagine how much worse it'd been for Bella. Taking that into consideration, there was no doubt in my mind about what her reaction would be to my little bombshell. She was going to hate me. Forever. There was just no getting around that now. Damage control...? Out of the question! The only question that remained to be answered was – how the _fuck_ was I going to tell her?

"Jake…?" Bella called out hesitantly. There was nothing different about the way she said my name. The usual tone, the standard inflection. But to my guilty conscience, her voice sounded plaintive, almost pitiful.

I freaked! God, this..._this_ was what I'd been hoping to avoid. I'd never wanted to hurt her… to confuse her. _'__Shit.__Shit.__Fucking__shit!__Thanks,__asshole!__'_ I snarled at my alter ego.

He wasn't one to take things lying down. _'__Will__you__just__tell__her__already?__' _He snarled right back. _'__Even__if__she's__sounding__pitiful__and__that's__a__big__if,__mind__you,__it's__only__because__she__thinks__that__the__mark__came__from__the__leech__and__understandably,__she__doesn__'__t__want__any__reminder__of__him.__When__she__comes__to__know__that__it__was__us;__who__knows;__her__reaction__might__actually__surprise__you!__'_

'_As__if__I__have__any__other__choice__but__to__come__clean!__After__everything__you__pulled?__Yeah,__right!__But__just__so__you__know...__she's__going__to__hate__me__forever__and__I__swear__to__God,__I__will_never_forgive__you__for__that!__'_

_'Oh__Jesus,__not__this__again!__She__is_not_going__to__hate__you,__you__moron!__I__promise__you,__we're__going__to_just_fine.__Now__just__get__on__with__it,__you__fucking__coward!'_

To be honest, I'd had enough of the snide remarks and the bitching to last me a lifetime. But no matter how much I hated him (and right now I really, _really_ did), the bastard did have a valid point. I was going to have to come clean. Right. Fucking. Now. So I made a point of ignoring that last comment and powered on before the bastard could think of something else to taunt me with. "Hey, Doc…? Could you give Bella and me some time alone? I really need to talk to her."

"Oh, sure…No problem. We were done anyway. Bella, we'll just continue with your painkillers and antibiotics for a little while longer, just as a precautionary measure more than anything else. You spent almost two days out in the open, exposed to the elements. We don't want to take any chances that you'll catch an infection later on."

"Alright."

"And I'm prescribing lots of rest, so no wild stunts for you young lady. Take it easy, relax and drink plenty of fluids to replace any that you might've inadvertently lost along the way."

"Whatever you say Carlisle." Bella responded with a tiny smile. "You know I trust you."

Huh. Looked like Bella had forgiven the doc for the unwitting role he'd played in the unfortunate forced-abortion incident. (At least that's what her words seemed to imply. Maybe that whole conversation she had with Eddie boy had really helped her gain some much needed closure.) This was great news as far as I was concerned. Because logic dictated that if she'd been able to forgive Edward and Carlisle for the stunt that they'd pulled, then she should be able to forgive me too, right?

The way the leech was looking at her, his eyes full of astonishment and a wild, desperate hope lent credence to my theory. "Bella, I... I don't know what to say. Except, I'm sorry..." He spoke, his voice choked with emotion. "God, you have no idea how sorry I am...how much I've hated myself for what happened. You have to understand, I was just thinking about your well-being. We both were."

"I know." Bella's eyes swam with tears. "It took me a long time, but I _do_ realize now that you had my best interests at heart. And I want you to know that I blamed you for a long time but I don't anymore. I forgive you Carlisle. But only if you can forgive me..."

As I looked on, Carlisle threw his arm around Bella's shoulder and gave her a hearty one-armed hug. "Silly girl!" He chided her gently, still sounding a little shaky. "There's nothing to forgive. There never was..."

The words clearly meant a lot to Bella; as demonstrated by her smile. (It was so bright, it seemed to light up the room.)

I looked on silently, not sure what to make of the easy affection between them was difficult to miss and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. (I mean, the guy was alright and all but he _was_ still a leech.) The wolf, on the other hand, was _extremely_ clear on where _he_ stood on the subject. He hated it, hated the ease between the leech and his mate. (He especially hated the almost casual way that the leech was touching her. Given free reign, he wanted to rip the leech's arm right out of his socket for daring to lay a hand on the woman he loved.)

To be honest, the intensity of his emotions scared me a little. _'__Don__'__t__be__an__ass!__'_ I cautioned in what I hoped to hell was a soothing tone of voice. _'__It__'__s__not__like__that__with__them.__He__thinks__of__her__like__a__daughter__…'_

"I don't care _what_ he thinks or _how_ he feels about her. I just want his damn hands _off_ her!" The wolf growled territorially, not at all in the mood to be appeased.

Well, Jesus. Such violence, such possessiveness.

Even as I struggled with my beast for control, the leech went on speaking, blithely unaware of how close to bodily harm he was right then. "I'll uh… also see if I can send you some Neosporin and some bandages for that mark on your…uh… neck."

Oh God. There it was again. The damn, fucking mark! It was the bane of my existence.

Just like that, the anger drained away, only to be replaced by a familiar feeling of shame. Jeez, talk about embarrassing.

My gaze automatically drifted to the aforementioned mark. The leech had been right. It didn't look like a vampire bite at all. Even from this distance. I could see the raised half-moon like circles marring the otherwise smooth perfection of her neck. Jesus Christ! And as if that wasn't bad enough, the mark looked red and angry…painful! Goddammit! What had I been thinking?

_'Oh__come__on!__Don't__get__your__panties__in__a__bunch!'_ The wolf interrupted. _'The__bite__isn't__painful;__it__was__just__a__nip__after__all.__Besides,__it__should__scab__over__pretty__soon.__After__that,__it'll__barely__even__be__noticeable...'_

Was I supposed to say something to that? If yes, what? Jesus, I didn't even want to meet Bella or the Doc's eyes for fear that my guilt would be stamped clearly on my face for everyone to see.

But apparently I was more adept at hiding my feelings than I gave myself credit for, because there were no sudden shouts of "Gotcha!" from either of the participants of the room. Instead, Carlisle was slowly making his way towards the door. "I'll check in on you later, Bella. But meanwhile, if you need me for anything; if you're feeling unwell in any way, just holler." Yet another grin followed that statement.

Wow. Smiling _and_ joking? The doc was in a pretty good mood for someone who'd been on the verge of losing a patient not even half an hour ago. It was Bella. It had to be. She brought out the best in all of us.

A click of the door clued me in to the fact that Bella and I were finally alone. (Or as alone as you could be in a house filled to the brim with vampires and werewolves. I could've bet my entire bank balance – and it was considerable – on the fact that every damn person/creature in the house was tuned into this conversation at this very moment.) God, how I wished I could've had this discussion with Bella somewhere else. _Any_where else would've been better than this. Oh well, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"You okay Bells?" I asked, moving closer to her.

"I'm fine. See?" She made a show of flailing her arms and legs around haphazardly in such a dorky way that I couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, okay… I believe you."

She smiled too, an adoring kind of a smile that made me dread the upcoming conversation even more. I didn't want to do or say anything to take that smile away. (And it _would_ go away once I told her, no question about it. I mean why would she adore me so blindly once I told her how I'd gone behind her back and taken advantage of her vulnerability?)

Maybe it would be okay if I told her later…? I mean, she _was_ still recovering from her ordeal, right? Why would I add to the burden she was feeling? It was only right to wait until she was feeling better and more prepared to handle everything I had to tell her.

'_Oh__you__chicken__shit!__'_ My alter ego was ever ready with the taunts, unwilling to let me off the hook so easily.

'_Fuck__off!__'_ I lashed out savagely.

'_Can__'__t!__'_ He cackled. _'__Kinda__stuck__with__you__at__the__moment__…'_

'_Ha ha. You think you're freaking hilarious, don't you?'_

'_I_am_rather__hilarious__if__I__do__say__so__myself!'_ He smirked. _'__Listen,__can__I__just__give__you__a__piece__of__advice?__'_

'_Would it matter if I said no?'_

'_No, because you need to hear this and right now I'm the only one who can say it. Sometimes it's better to just get it over with. Just rip the band-aid off, you know? I'm not saying that she won't be upset with us for a while, because, in all probability, she will be. But you still need to tell her. Right now.'_

Shit, did he have to start making sense right at this instant? Made it that much harder to ignore him.

_'Why__me?'_ I couldn't resist whining some more. _'You're__the__one__who__screwed__up!__Shouldn't__you__be__the__one__to__face__the__music?'_

He sighed theatrically, as if at the end of his rope. _'You__know,__sooner__or__later,__you're__going__to__have__to__come__to__terms__with__the__fact__that__you__and__I__are__just__two__sides__of__the__same__coin__so__to__speak.__My__decisions__are__your__decisions__and__vice__versa.__We__just__have__different__ways__of__dealing__with__them.__So__what__that__basically__means__is__that__you__wanted__what__happened__in__that__cave__just__as__much__as__I__did.__I__just__had__the__guts__to__go__ahead__and__actually__make__it__happen.__So__quit__blaming__me__for__the__damn__mating__and__just__admit__that__you've__wanted__to__claim__Bella__for__your__own__for__a__very__long__time.'_

_'I refuse to admit anything of the sort!'_

_'Fine! Be that way. Coward!' _

Something in my expression must've alerted her to my turmoil because little by little Bella's smile dimmed. "What's wrong Jake?" She questioned, far too seriously.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Now I was bringing her down too. Just fucking perfect! "Uh… are you sure you're okay? Cuz, this isn't urgent. It can wait a while if you need to rest or something."

What the fuck? I was such a pussy!

'_Finally!__That's__precisely__what__I've__been__telling__you__for__so__damn__long!__' _The wolf piped in a little too enthusiastically.

Thankfully Bella responded before we got into another one of our epic battles. "Yes, God, I'm _fine!_ Whatever it is, just spit it out will you? All this hesitating is making me downright nervous."

Well alright then, it was time to man up and swallow the bullet. I took a deep breath and went for broke. "Themarkonyourneck…thatwasnttheleech. Itwasme. I bit you."

She looked at me as if I'd lost my damn mind. Who knew, maybe I had. "I know Jake." She stated calmly. "I was there."

What? Come again…? Did she just say what I think she did…? What the…? How? Shit, I'd never taken into account that she might remember the whole thing! Jesus, what the hell was I going to say now? How was I going to even begin to explain my crazy-ass actions? Also, and more importantly, how much did she remember? All of it…? (Good God, I was so screwed!)

"Uh…" I stuttered, at a complete loss of words. "What…?" I exclaimed stupidly.

Wow. Brilliant move, Sherlock!

"I remember everything…" She repeated patiently.

Oh Jeez. But… why the hell was she so calm? And why hadn't she said anything to Carlisle…? I just had to ask. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

She blushed a bright, brilliant red. "Like what…? That the bite in question came not from the vampire who kidnapped and tortured me but from my werewolf lover, in the middle of what was probably the most spectacular sex of my life?"

The most spectacular…? I almost groaned out loud. Jesus, what was she trying to do, kill me?

(The wolf was damn near dancing a jig in my mind. All that was left was for him to burst into a rousing chorus of 'I told you so'. Jesus! Who'd have thought that someone so brutal and vicious could be so damn annoying?) I couldn't exactly blame him though. After all, I could barely control my own reaction to her words. God! Within a few seconds and with a few careless words this woman had managed to reduce me to a slobbering pile of goo. But I couldn't exactly help it now, could I? No matter where or when she made that statement, I was bound to have a drastic, er, shall we say reaction to it. After all, I'd only waited, what, half my lifetime to hear her say it.

Vivid memories of last night bloomed in my mind. The way she'd felt in my arms... the lingering taste of her... the way she'd fallen apart so gloriously all around me. God, I wanted her and I wanted her right now! I wanted my hands on her and her hands on me!

But wait, (Fuck, it was so difficult to curb my instincts where she was concerned) hadn't she said that she had some questions…? I forced myself to focus with difficulty. "So?" My voice came out sounding all hoarse so I had to clear my throat before I could go on. "What did you need to ask me?"

"Well, I want to know why for one! And I also want to know what it means. For me. For us…"

Well, that was reasonable wasn't it? She'd made her feelings for me clear in my apartment. She deserved the same courtesy from me. Also...and more importantly, the wolf had made pretty sure that we were going to be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives so the least I could do was let her in on that itty bitty fact! But damn, this was _not_ how I'd envisioned telling her I loved her for the first time. Especially not with so many prying ears around. Oh well, there was nothing to it I guess...

"It's a mating mark." I spoke hesitantly.

"A what?" She questioned, her delicate brow scrunched in confusion. Jesus, she was damn near perfect and I was going to screw her entire life over with this one revelation. How could I have let this happen?

"Uh... it's a mating mark." I reiterated while desperately trying to come up with a way to explain all of this without coming across as a lunatic or worse, a delusional schizophrenic. Finally I realized that there was no way out of this. I was going to have to tell her everything... beginning with my alter-ego. "Do you remember how you got out of Vladimir's clutches?"

"Uh... no." Bella replied drolly. "In case you didn't realize, I was kinda out of it at the time. But I assume you had something to do with it considering the fact that the only thing I remember about the whole ordeal is waking up next to you in the cave last night." For some reason, she found it difficult to meet my eyes as she uttered the last part.

But I didn't have time to dwell on any of that. I was too busy trying to dig myself out of the big ole' shit-hole I'd buried myself into. "Umm... yeah, about that..."

She just rolled her eyes at my avoidance tactics.

Oops! Looked like I was out of second chances. Well, here goes nothing... "Do you remember how I was captured by Vlad's minions and brought to his lair while you were being held there?" I questioned.

"I think so..." Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion and frustration. "At least I remember feeling your presence somehow and feeling safe all of a sudden."

For a few moments, all I could manage to do was stare at her in wonderment. How was it possible that this gorgeous creature had so much blind trust in me? After everything I'd done... after I'd tried my best to push her away! By all rights, she should've hated me. But here she was instead, trusting me with her life; feeling safe in my presence. It was nothing short of a miracle. _She_ was nothing short of a miracle. Dear God, how I loved this woman.

"Jake...?" She prompted gently, bringing me out of my amazed daze.

"Uh, so yeah... I was captured and brought to the same location where they'd been holding you the whole time – his godforsaken lair. He used his witch to bind me with spelled chains – chains that continuously drained me of my powers. They made me weak enough that I couldn't break free."

"Oh my God..."

Under normal circumstances her enthralled reaction would've amused me. She sounded like a child at story-time; engrossed, scared, eager. But these were not normal circumstances. Far from them. "I don't know how, but the bastard knew everything. Especially about you and me."

I hadn't meant to embarrass her or to put her on the spot but apparently that was a lost cause. The way she avoided my gaze as if her life depended on it and the sudden rush of color in her cheeks revealed her mortification. I was amused and enchanted. Some things would never change and Bella, no matter how worldly she appeared, would apparently always be Bella.

"Go on, please..." She prompted me; growing increasingly uncomfortable under my gaze.

It took me a few moments to get my head back in the game, but then, I carried on the narrative, as dispassionately as I could. "Suffice it to say, he was _not_ happy with me and he didn't hesitate to demonstrate his... shall we say displeasure."

Bella blanched, her eyes widening in panic. "Are you alright? God, tell me he didn't hurt you!" She exclaimed, her voice thready and frantic.

Dammit! As soon as I'd uttered the words, I'd known that I was making a mistake – a tactical error if you will. As if she wasn't already prone to guilt trips and incessant worrying. By saying what I did, I'd just handed her the perfect excuse to fret over me for the next decade or so. Genius Black... just genius!

I hurried over to her side immediately; taking her tiny hands in both of mine and squeezing reassuringly. "I'm _fine_, honey. Don't worry. I'm a thick-skinned werewolf, remember? Do you really think that some pansy-assed leech could manage to hurt me? Nah! Besides, don't forget, I have that pesky super-healing on my side. So even if I was hurt; hypothetically speaking; then I'd be as good as new by now. See?" I twirled around ridiculously for her benefit, hoping to tease a laugh out of her.

She smiled briefly (not as good as a laugh, but still good enough, right?) before getting back to her interrogation. "So if you were captured too, how did we manage to get out of there safely? Did our friends launch a full-on rescue mission or something?"

"Or something..." I muttered, still hedging over revealing the entire truth.

"Jaaaaake!" She whined impatiently. "Whatever it is, just spit it out! Come on, it can't be that bad!"

_'She's__a__smart__one,__this__mate__of__ours.'_ The wolf rumbled; his words pointed enough so that only the most obtuse person in the world (which I was not) would miss their hidden meaning.

Choosing as always to ignore the sick bastard, I went on with my account of the daring (if I may say so myself) escape from Vladimir's clutches. "So like I was saying, Vladimir was pissed; ranting and raving at me; about how you belonged to him and him alone, how I wasn't even supposed to touch you and how he would kill me for daring to lay a hand on you – you know, the usual ravings of a madman – when he threatened to turn you. Something inside me just seemed to slow down. Where earlier the chains binding me had been impossible to get out of, it seemed like child's play to just snap the restraints in two. I felt faster, stronger, more powerful. And Vladimir's minions...? They were suddenly no match for me."

"Then what happened...?" She gasped.

"I could get through them easily; tossing some aside, killing others in my need to get my hands around that rat-bastard! And I would've got him too. But just as I was about to leap at him, the bastard had his witch take him out of the equation! I wanted to go after him, God, how I yearned to! But I realized that getting _you_ to safety was my top priority at that point and I chose to carry you out of there."

"Wow. I uh... I don't know what to say. It all sounds so fantastic and unreal." Bella breathed. "But that still doesn't explain how you managed to overpower all of them... and in your injured condition, no less! I mean, didn't you say that you couldn't get out of those chains earlier; that they were draining you of your power? So how did you break through them so easily later?"

"I didn't know what it was at the time but just as that bastard bit his wrist to feed you his blood, I felt this... shift inside me. This surge of power. It was only later that I came to know that I 'borrowed' power from all the other members of the pack at that moment – minus Embry apparently because he was too weak to spare any."

"And once again, all I can say is... wow. I didn't know you could do something like that!"

"Join the club, honey. It came as a total surprise to me too."

"So how did you do it then? Like, how did you know what to do?"

"I didn't." I took a deep, fortifying breath before taking the plunge. "But my wolf did."

"What do you mean, 'your wolf'?"

"Well, turns out that apparently, the wolf isn't just some tribal mascot or an animal that I can turn into at will. He's a separate entity, a separate part of me, but a part nonetheless. In fact, he's been there inside of me ever since I first phased. I just wasn't aware of it till yesterday. But now I know that he's his own person...er animal...er whatever."

"Wha...what're you talking about?" She stuttered, looking as if she'd been completely bowled over by my words.

"You know how back when I first phased, I could always find a way to defy Sam's orders or at least get around them?" She nodded mutely. "And how everyone used to say that it was due to the fact that I was the true alpha of the pack?" One more nod, signifying her continued understanding, "Well, it was more than that, apparently. It was due to the fact that my mind was divided into two parts – one that was me as a whole, and one that contained the animal – separated from each other by this supposed 'partition'."

"Jesus, that sounds like a bad science fiction movie, you know that right?" Bella tittered nervously.

"I know!" I exclaimed loudly. "God, how I know. But please just hear me out. It's nothing bad, I swear." What the hell was I talking about, of course it was bad! Ugh! "So most of the time, the wolf is or rather was silent inside of me, just waiting for the time when I phased and he had free reign. I wasn't even aware of his existence. But all that changed in Vladimir's lair. Something he did; probably a combination of physical pain, magic and the immense worry and panic I felt over you; brought that barrier between me and my wolf tumbling down. Now I can feel him all the time. Talk to him too." I finished hesitantly; deathly afraid of what her reaction was going to be.

"Holy mother of God! Let me get this straight. You think that your wolf is an actual _person_ inside your _head_ and that you can hold an entire conversation with him...?" She exclaimed somehow managing to sound dazed and incredulous all at the same time.

My only response was a curt nod. (Something about the tone of her voice succeeded in raising my hackles thoroughly.)

"Are you _sure_ Vladimir didn't hurt you?" Dammit, she thought I was crazy! "Maybe you should get checked out by Carlisle too?"

Ugh! What a mess! "Bells, trust me, I'm _not_ insane and I did _not_ hit my head. I'm telling you the truth. Please honey, you've got to believe me..." I knew I was practically begging but heck, if she didn't buy this part of the story, what hope did I have that she'd buy the whole 'mating' thing, huh?

"Wow. This is a whole lot to take in, Jake."

"I know honey, I know." I allowed her the time to digest the boatload of information I'd just dumped on her. Lord help us both, I was nowhere near done.

"So technically, your_wolf_ was the one who got me out...?" She questioned tentatively after a few minutes.

My alter-ego _loved_ that; smirking delightedly in reaction. Figured! 'I' on the other hand was not amused. I was not letting that little shit take away the credit that was rightfully mine! "Didn't you hear what I just told you? Him? Me? It's practically one and the same thing."

_'Oh__how__the__mighty__have__fallen!'_The wolf couldn't resist gloating.

_'Shut__up!'_

_'What? I was just pointing out the fact that just a little while ago, you were vehemently denying any connection between us. Now that it seems that our mate prefers me more than you; which isn't surprising in the least if I do say so myself; you're suddenly falling all over yourself trying to convince her that you and I are the same person. It's downright amusing, is what it is...'_

I growled soundlessly, imagining baring my teeth at an unknown foe.

'_Oh__pipe__down!__I__was__just__messing__with__you__and__you__know__it.'_

_'Whatever asshole! Just stay out of my head!'_

_'I think you could do with a little more brains and a little less attitude, don't you think?'_

"Jake...? What's going on? Are you okay?" Bella's hesitant query brought me out of my internal struggle for dominance.

Okay well... this was embarrassing. "Erm, yes... I'm fine." I muttered.

"You were talking to the wolf, weren't you?" She questioned with dawning amazement.

"Yes! How did you know?" I asked, equally if not more, amazed at her leap of logic.

"Well... it wasn't that difficult to figure it out. You looked like you were kinda having a disagreement with yourself."

Damn, she _was_ a smart one alright! "So anyway, now you know my deepest, darkest secret Bells. Just like old times, huh?" I tried to act nonchalantly but inside I was fretting over what she was thinking of all of this.

"Uh... so... you were telling me about the mating mark...?" She questioned hesitantly.

"Oh. Of course! Jeez, i'm such an idiot!" (Or not, as the case may be. I knew that on some instinctive level, I was dreading talking about the bond and that's probably where the lapse stemmed from most likely.)

"When we were in the cave, I was still largely under the influence of the wolf as well as the adrenaline high of the fight. I didn't realize it at the time – I was otherwise distracted, you see – but when we were... well, you know..." I could just _feel_ the heat suffusing my entire face. What the fuck? Was I _really_ embarrassed about having a 'sex' discussion here? Me? Jesus! Unexpected to say the least. After all, I wasn't some blushing teenager having his first sexual encounter. (Come to think of it, had I _ever_ been a blushing, fumbling teenager?) "I was constantly fighting the urge to bite you, to mark you. That was the wolf, telling me to claim you as my...our mate." I broke off; too ashamed to go on; hoping desperately that she'd deduce the rest of the sordid tale for herself.

"It doesn't look like you resisted for too long." The perceived sharpness in her response made me wince. Not that I didn't deserve it. I did. All of it. Her anger, her condemnation and much, much more. "Just tell me what it means Jake." She continued, unaware of the turmoil she'd unleashed on me with her previous words. "You're starting to freak me out just a little..."

"Did you know that in the wild, wolves mate for life?" I asked; adopting a different approach; wanting, no _needing_ her to understand. "So basically, with that mark I've chosen you as my mate – for life." I paused; allowing the words to sink in; bracing myself for the revulsion that would surely follow.

Nothing. Except an alarming _lack_ of reaction. I tried again. "By this mark I'm telling everyone that you're mine. That you belong to me in every way possible... for the rest of our lives."

And still, she was quiet. _Too_ quiet. I was disgusted with myself, sick to my stomach. Jesus, how could I have done this to her? She should hate me, despise me for what I'd done to her. And yet, despite everything, a part of me still hoped; prayed; that by some miracle, she wouldn't.

"Are we talking about _imprinting_ here...?" Her barely audible query felt too loud after the eons of silence that preceded it.

I froze. Shit! How could I not have anticipated this reaction? Shit, shit, fucking shit! What was I supposed to say? My answer, no matter how I chose to frame it, was bound to open up a humongous can of worms. But what other choice did I have? I couldn't very well ignore her question now, could I? Finally, I decided that it would be wisest to just answer her question point-blank. "No, Bells... it's not imprinting." What I didn't have the heart to tell her was that it was much, _much_worse. Dammit!

"No, of course it isn't..." She muttered.

Okay, now I was confused. Did she sound... _disappointed?_ But that couldn't be right, could it? Did she want me to imprint on her? But that didn't make any sense. Bella hated imprinting almost as much as I did. More, actually. Maybe it was something else that was upsetting her. Maybe, she'd figured out the truth... that the mating bond was just as bad, if not worse, than imprinting. Yes, that had to be it.

"I can't believe this is happening!" Bella cried out suddenly, bringing my thoughts to a screeching halt. "God is punishing me, isn't he? Yes, that must be it. He's punishing me for wanting to defy the laws of nature and wanting to become a vampire. He's punishing me for taking the life of my unborn child! He's punishing me. Why else would he do this to me?"

The pain in her voice lanced my heart. Jesus, this was even worse than I'd imagined. She hated the thought of sharing the rest of her life with me. What was worse, she most likely hated _me_. Overcoming the despair I felt was difficult but I realized that I had to do something to make things better. Somehow, I had to find a way. "Bells," I interrupted her tirade painfully, "Don't do this to yourself, please! I'm begging you. This is not you fault, it's mine! I swear to God, I _never_ intended for any of this to happen! I didn't even know about it till the deed was done. And unfortunately, the process, I'm told is... irreversible." At this point, I knew I was probably blabbering nonsensically but try as I might, I couldn't seem to stop. I just wanted... needed her forgiveness. I was desperate for it. "I'm so, so sorry Bells. If I could take this back, I would!"

"Jake" I heard Bella call out to me, but it didn't stop my tirade. It couldn't. I was too far gone for that.

"I didn't mean to trap you Bells and I especially didn't mean to force any of this on you." I continued brusquely. "I'll totally understand if you hate me for what I've done to you. In fact, if you never want to see me again, I'll understand that too. And I know that I just said that the bond was irreversible but if you really, really want me to stay away from you, I'm sure we can find a way. After all, I found a way around most other wolfy no-no's didn't I? I'm sure I can manage a way around this too. All you have to do is say so..."

"Jake! God, just shut up will you!" This time, there was a sharpness in Bella's voice that was difficult to ignore. So I didn't even try. "You're starting to make my head _ache_. Jeez, let a person get a word in edgewise, will you?"

Uh, wow... where had this Bella come from? I could only gaze at her in stunned surprise.

"I'm _not_ mad at you, at least not in the way you seem to think." She continued in the same vein, her tone brooking no argument.

Uh oh. That sounded ominous.

"What I _am_ is confused, but then you can't exactly blame me for that, can you? Most of the things you've told me today seem more like a part of my favorite science fiction novels than actual fact. And I'm definitely _not_ happy about the fact that you're stuck with me for the rest of your life due to something that was clearly out of your control. I know this wasn't what you wanted. And I know how much you hate not being in control. I can only imagine how much you must hate this, being connected to me in this way..."

What the hell was she going on about? Why would I hate being stuck with her for the rest of my life? That was ridiculous. I loved her! "What're you talking about...?" I blurted out harshly.

But she was having none of it. "Shh! _I'm_ talking now!" She insisted so authoritatively, I had no choice but to shut up. "I'm not upset about the mating mark... or about you forcing it on me or whatever the hell you think you've done. I'm upset that due to mark, you're now stuck with me forever when it's painfully clear to both of us that you no longer have _those_ feelings for me."

_What?_ What the _hell_was she talking about...?

A steady stream of tears was flowing down her cheeks by this point, making me feel more helpless than I'd ever felt in my life. I was at a loss. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what to say... how to make her understand how completely wrong she was in her assumptions... how to convince her that I loved her more than I'd ever loved anyone in my entire godforsaken _life_.

Bella on the other hand, had no such qualms about articulating her feelings. "In case you didn't hear me clearly the first time I said it back at your apartment, let me just say it once again. I love you. I'm_i_n love with you."

Those damn words got to me, every single time. There was just something about the way she said them. Or maybe it was just the fact that it was _Bella_ saying them – the woman I'd always loved saying the words I'd been waiting for all of my life.

Bella went on, unaware of my love-struck musings. "I_wan_t to be with you...for the rest of my life. But at what cost? I _never_ wanted to force myself upon you! And that's what I hate the most...that for the rest of our lives I'll have to live with the knowledge that none of this was your choice..."

It astounded me that anyone could love me like this, let alone Bella. But I couldn't let her go on thinking that I didn't love her. Not for even a single minute longer. She _had_ to know that I felt the same way about her, she just _had_ to.

"You amaze me." I breathed tenderly, uncaring that I probably sounded like a lovesick fool. The truth of the matter was, I couldn't have kept the adoration out of my voice, not even if my life had depended on it. "You're the kindest, most caring person that I've ever met in my life. You're beautiful inside and out. And you love me. Me. I still can't get over that fact. Come to think of it, I might _never_ get over it!" My hands inched towards her face of their own free will, itching to touch her in any way that I could. "My beautiful, darling girl. You can be so clueless sometimes, you know that, right? Honey, you couldn't be more wrong about the way I feel about you!" I whispered softly, taking the opportunity to brush a light kiss over the delicate shell of ear while I did so.

I felt the slight tremor that went through her. I reveled in it.

"Wh...what do you mean?" She asked breathlessly.

Unable to resist, I leaned closer and pressed a brief, tantalizing kiss on her lips. "It means that I'm..." I paused purposely, teasing her.

"What Jake? You're _what?_ What were you going to say...?" She questioned breathlessly... impatiently.

Now that the moment was finally here I couldn't _wait_ to tell her that I loved her (that I'd _always_ loved her); to finally make her mine – officially. "I'm..."

But before I could continue, a sharp knock sounded on the door. _"__What?__"_ Bella and I both snarled at the same time; both of us equally pissed off at the interruption.

"Jake...?" Sam's brisk, no nonsense voice acted like a bucket of cold water.

"Come in." I called out, backing away from the bed... and Bella. She busied herself in straightening out the blankets around her, trying to appear nonchalant and unconcerned.

Seeing her effort, a sharp pang of regret went through me. Dammit, why was it that every time we came close to finally getting our happily ever after something or someone had to interrupt? Why was every goddamn person in the world hell-bent on keeping me and Bella apart? It was starting to feel like some kind of sick joke that the universe was playing on us.

"What is it, Sam?" I barked impatiently as soon as he entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt." He spoke, his voice sounding terse and business-like; his manner, stiff. Warning bells jangled in my mind. Something was up. Something big. And whatever it was, it wasn't good news, that was for sure.

"Sam...?" I prompted brusquely, bracing myself for whatever was coming.

"We just got news that three people were brutally slain in Port Angeles last night."

_Son__of__a__bitch!_"Anyone we know?" I asked, instantly switching gears.

Sam's response was equally short and to the point. "Tourists from Seattle."

Those poor bastards! Just caught in the wrong place at the wrong damn time. _God!_ Such a godawful waste of life! "Bloodsuckers?"

"Affirmative. The bodies were found in different parts of town, dismembered, all of them completely drained of blood. Also, all of the bodies were placed in locations where they'd be easily discovered. It was almost as if someone wanted us to know about the murders at the earliest... "

"_Fuck!_" I spat, incensed at the indiscriminate loss of human life. This had Vladimir written all over it! There was no doubt in my mind that he was responsible for this atrocity, none at all. I'd taken Bella away from him and this was his way of getting even. Fucking hell! This was my fault. _All_ mine. I had killed those people; as surely as if I'd drained them dry myself. (Not that I would've changed anything even if I could – for me Bella's safety always had and always would be paramount – but that didn't mean I didn't feel guilty about the senseless killings.)

"Vladimir?" Sam questioned discreetly, apparently of the same opinion as I was.

I nodded briskly, in no mood to elaborate on the topic. I had other, more important things that needed to be dealt with first. "Cover-up?" I questioned, mentally going over a list of all the things we'd have to do. Somebody would have to go take and a look at the crime scene and gather all the evidence. Then, I had to organize patrols and most importantly, come up with some viable plan to get rid of this asshole.

"Rafe and Seth are coming up with a cover-story for the local cops even as we speak."

"Good. That's good. Gather the pack in the living room. I'll be there in just a few minutes to brief them."

Sam inclined his head slightly before turning around and walking out of the room.

Dammit, I really needed to go. But I so didn't want to leave Bella alone. Fuck! Couldn't this crisis have waited just a little while longer? I stomped over to the bed; anger and frustration rolling off me in waves; and pulled her to me roughly. "I have to go." I whispered.

"I know." She whispered back.

"Just remember... this discussion is far from over, okay?" I declared before pressing a bruising, reckless kiss onto her petal soft lips.

Bella groaned, her tongue darting out to brush against mine. Dammit to hell! I didn't have time for this. My pack was waiting for me; even at this distance, I could sense their growing impatience. "Later..." I promised Bella before pushing her away as abruptly as I'd pulled her to me. Then, making a conscious decision to avoid her gaze at all costs, I walked away to do my duty.

The way I saw it, Bella would still be here when I got back. Right now, I had me some leeches to kill!

**A/N: - Okay people, _simmer_ down. Keep the torches and the pitchforks aside. Take a deep, calming breath. Better? Okay then. **

**So, the _only_ reason that Jake hasn't declared his feelings for Bella yet is that I wanted to be in Bella's POV for that momentous occasion. And since the JPOV came up to about 23 pages, I obviously couldn't include Bella's POV in this chapter too. Hence, the title : Chapter 32 – Part 1. But that just means that the rest of the 'goodies' that I'd intended to include in Bella's POV, will be included in the next installment, which; God willing; will be ready pretty soon! :) So, Yay...?**

**One way to speed up the process, as you all know, is reviews! (Yup, every writers _loves_ them to death – me included!) So, click on that little blue button and do your bit to keep the creative juices flowing... ;)**

**And finally, a huge thank you to my kickass beta, Erin. Thanks soulmate – for always being there, for keeping me on track and for _not_ letting me falter! You're the best and I honestly couldn't have done this without you. You keep me honest... and inspired! ;)**


	36. Chapter 32 Part 2

**Chapter 32**

**Part 2**

**Disclaimer: - If I owned Twilight, Jacob and Bella would've had wild monkey sex the very first time they met, right there on First beach and to hell with all their friends! Yes, really. Oh, and Bella would've seen Edward for the manipulative bastard he is, right in book one! ;)**

**A/N: - I suck. Totally and completely. I have no excuses. Well I do, but I won't bore you with them. The bottom line is, its finally ready, the chapter you've all been waiting for. So without dragging on the apologies further (even though I really AM very, very sorry for the delay) I'll let you get on with the chapter. Happy Reading! **

**As always, the chapter is dedicated to my friends, Erin and Wendy. Thanks for the love and encouragement guys.**

**BPOV**

Running…I was always running. Down dark, dank corridors and past huge caverns, filled to the brim with rotting corpses and broken body parts. The darkness – pitch black and oppressive – threatened to swallow me whole.

Blood and gore dripped down the walls; creating a steady drip, drip, drip of sound that threatened to drive me to the very brink of insanity. A rank odor of death and decay filled the crevasses, making it impossible to breathe without gagging.

He was coming for me. I could _feel_ it. He was coming – to hurt me, to kill me, to turn me against my will. No matter how hard I ran, he was always right behind me; always just a few steps away.

Have to get out of here. Now… now… now!

There was a sense of urgency fueling me, telling me that I had to keep going, that I had to escape…And yet, I was conscious of a deep, cloying sense of grief. Somehow I knew that I was all alone here, all alone in the world. All the people who I'd loved and who had loved me were dead. Killed, brutally and heartlessly murdered by the same evil that now sought to destroy me.

Was there any point in running? I had nothing, no one left to live for. Jacob, my parents, my friends, the Cullen's – dead. All dead. And I was going to die too. It was inevitable.

A bone-chilling laugh sounded just behind me. "Why do you try to run from me?" A shudder of revulsion ran through me. "Don't you know how futile it is? How pointless? No matter how far you run… I'll always find you. You can't hide from me! It is your destiny. You belong to me. Come now, Bella. Surrender to me…"

Terror slammed through me – sharp, bright and all encompassing. What had I been thinking? I couldn't allow him to catch me… I just couldn't. I'd rather die. I forced my aching muscles to work harder, increasing my speed marginally. If only I could get out of this labyrinth…

The malevolence around me grew. The evil seemed to strengthen, to deepen…till it seeped into my very pores. He was getting closer. I could feel it. The end was near.

Utterly alone, devoid of joy or even hope, I awaited my doom.

A bony hand reached for me from the darkness. I opened my mouth to scream and then, suddenly – as if a bucket of water had been poured over my head – I jerked awake, my heart pounding, my skin damp with sweat. For the briefest moment, I felt like I was still caught up in the deadly nightmare; still stuck in that cave full of rotting corpses; unable to escape the evil tormentor who was looking down at me in such joyful glee. My breath caught in my throat, my skin tightened with horror.

It was all so fresh in my mind. The terror so bright.

Nightmare… it was just another nightmare, I assured myself. My dad, Jacob, my friends were all safe. I wasn't Vladimir's captive anymore. That ordeal was long over. Jake had rescued me and brought me back to the Cullen property three nights ago. I was safe here. Protected. There was no way that Vladimir could reach me here.

And yet, despite my best efforts, I couldn't seem to convince myself. Because… even though I was no longer in his clutches, I couldn't seem to escape him, not completely. Every night I dreamt of him – the same recurring nightmare – in which Vladimir told me that I belonged to him and warned me that he would kill every single person that I'd had any contact with in the world, no matter how brief, if I didn't go back to him. The only thing that varied, every single time, was the sickeningly creative ways in which Vladimir dismembered and butchered my loved ones, right in front of my eyes. It was awful – horrifyingly, disgustingly awful – and had resulted in me not having a moment's rest for the last three nights.

I took several deliberate, deep breaths and pushed the last vestiges of my terror to the back of my mind. (It wasn't an easy thing to do. The dreams were so realistic that his evil practically left a patina on my skin.) But after three consecutive nights of this same routine, the steps involved in the recovery process had become almost mundane to me now – go to sleep, have seemingly endless nightmares, wake up kicking and screaming and drenched in my own sweat and then deal with the lingering after-effects of the dreams while simultaneously assuring everyone that I was fine. Not exactly the most relaxing recovery I'd imagined, but it wasn't as if I or anyone else for that matter, could do anything about it. (Thorough research had clued us in to the fact that these weren't just ordinary dreams, but dreams fueled and sustained by magick – the handiwork of Vladimir's witch, Lilith, no doubt – and were therefore, inescapable. Unfortunately, no amount of trying on our part had yielded a counter curse of any sort either.)

"Izzy? You alright?" Dylan's voice, filled with concern, brought me back from the brink of a complete, total meltdown.

The familiarity of the scene – waking up to all these anxious faces and concerned voices – centered me. The routine of it was almost… reassuring. It helped the fear recede even further.

"Izzy…?" Dylan prompted.

"I'm okay..." I managed to say in a surprisingly steady voice. (Although, it was a lot harder to hide my rapidly thundering heartbeat or the pungent aroma of my sweat from all the supernatural creatures in this room.)

"You're awake!" Alice chirped, her expression belying a false attempt at cheerfulness. Obviously, this was just her way of pretending that everything was right with our world. Yeah right... what an utter load of crock! (But no matter how many times I'd hinted at the fact that the pretense helped no one, least of all me, the Cullen's continued to stick to their normal MO. Something about a leopard and it's spots...)

The rest of my observers uttered some variation of the same 'You're finally awake' mantra; all in the same relieved unison.

I looked over my observers intently; ostensibly to gauge their reactions but deep down inside, I knew it wasn't just that. All the Cullen's were present – Alice, Rosalie, Esme, Carlisle and of course, Edward; and so were Dylan, Lisa and Leah. But I didn't care. All I noticed was that there was still no sign of Jake.

I looked around, a sharp sense of disappointment spearing through me. The most important person, the _one_ person that I wanted to see the most was missing. For the _third _freaking _day_ in a row! "Where's Jake?" I questioned hoarsely, trying desperately to hold on to my quickly crumbling composure.

"He hasn't come back from his patrol yet." Leah supplied quickly.

Still? He hadn't been back since he'd left three days ago (which was over seventy hours as per my quick calculations). I felt like swearing loudly and colorfully. I'd thought; well hoped actually; that he'd be with me when I woke up and that we'd finally get to finish our 'discussion'… Well, you know what they said about wishes being horses and all that, right? Apparently, it was all true.

I mean, I could understand that he was busy: what with Embry's condition improving only by tiny bits and pieces, the entire pack was under a lot of strain… more so Jacob, since he _was_ the alpha. (Jake's idea of the blood transfusion had proved to be a brilliant one but apparently, he'd needed a lot more of it than anybody had originally thought. No one had really understood how close to death's door Embry had been. The vampire venom had taken a huge toll on his body and most of his organs had been on the verge of failure. He'd been hanging on by a seriously thin thread and thus, it was taking a lot of time and effort for the repair work, so to speak. They'd been giving him the transfusions twice daily already and even after that, Embry had only gained consciousness, once, for a very brief period of time. He was out of the woods for now, but had a long and arduous recovery ahead of him.)

And then there were the additional patrols. If you looked at the situation in a strictly practical sense, they were dealing with a crisis of epic proportions – a virtually undefeatable vampire hell bent on destroying all of them (and everything they held dear,) with a slew of undead minions supporting his cause – and all while being a wolf short, an experienced one at that. That meant that someone had to take up the slack. Naturally, Jake was busy with assigning rotations and duties and organizing schedules. But more to the point, the worry… the heartache they were all dealing with over Embry's sickness was beginning to take a toll on all of them. They'd take turns sitting with him and talking to him as if he would wake up and answer back any moment. It was heartbreaking.

Then there was Leah who refused to leave Embry's bedside for more than a few minutes at a time. (God, I'd never seen her this way – a broken, tangled mess!) So, yeah… all in all, I could understand that Jake was busy. But that still didn't mean that he couldn't spare a minute or two to see me or call me. (Was I being selfish in wanting him to be here, with me? Probably. But dammit to hell, I'd earned that right.) Also, how long could one patrol possibly last anyway? Weren't they supposed to rotate shifts so that no one wolf was tired out and distracted?

I asked as much. "Why is he patrolling for so long? Isn't his shift long over?" Who cared if I sounded like a petulant child? I just wanted Jake dammit!

"Three people were _murdered_ that night Bella. And it's only gotten worse since. We've found new bodies every night! Creatively dismembered. Brutally slaughtered. Thirteen deaths in all." Leah retorted snarkily, bombarding me with the facts. "Innocent tourists. Women. Small children even! I don't know about you but we protectors of the land tend to take that a little seriously."

Wow... okay, when she put it like _that_, it certainly put me in my place, didn't it?

"Jake's blaming himself. He thinks it's his fault for having let Vladimir escape…" Leah continued with exaggerated patience. "Ever since the news broke, he's been out there organizing patrols, strategizing, trying to find the bastard… but more importantly, trying to come up with ways to keep _you_ safe!"

Wow, that put me in my place all right. Jesus, I was such a selfish brat. So many people had died… and through no fault of theirs. The sorrow, the guilt of it all overwhelmed me. This was my fault. All mine. Of course Jake being with his pack was far more important than him being with me right now. After all, innocent lives were at stake.

Jake and the pack were out there risking their lives for the greater good. And that was how it should be. That was their duty, their birthright. And yet, knowing all that, I couldn't seem to stop wanting him, _needing_ him here. I had to see him, to feel him, to have him near by. And that only made the guilt that much worse.

"That's enough, Leah!" Edward snapped. "Just because you're upset over Embry doesn't give you the right to be a bitch to Bella."

"Edward...!" I gasped in horror. I couldn't believe he'd actually thrown Embry's condition in her face like that.

My mind supplied me with pictures of Leah and Edward, having a knock down drag out fight. Not a pretty picture, let me tell you that. I prepared myself for an epic fight to the death. Instead…

"I'm sorry Bella; I've just been under a lot of stress lately...what with Embry's health and all."

Wait, what? Leah was apologizing? To me...? Wow. And she hadn't bitten Edward's head off for his words...? Double wow. I was frankly taken aback, and a little scared, truth be told. This was... unprecedented. Leah had _never_ backed down from such situations in the entire time I'd known her. So the fact that she was doing so right now, told me a lot about how close to the breaking point she really was.

"I... I'm going to go now." She muttered, her voice thick with unshed tears. Without sparing a single glance to anyone present she turned around and started walking out of the room.

"Leah, wait...!" I called out futilely. She didn't even pause.

Knowing her, she was probably embarrassed that she'd almost lost control in front of all these people. But it was clear to me that she shouldn't be alone in her current condition. She needed someone with her – a friend, a confidante.

I tried to sit up in bed so that I could follow her. Just that small movement brought everyone's attention right back on me. "Don't even think about it!" Edward growled.

"_What?_" I snapped.

"You're not going anywhere!"

"And why the _hell_ not?"

"Because Carlisle says that you need your rest!"

"You know Edward, it is times like these that make me wonder what I ever saw in you!" I said in a calm, no nonsense way. "I know it's a little hard for a vampire to grasp change, but I'm no longer the naïve, idiotic girl who was blinded to your manipulations by your looks and your surface charm. And I can no longer be controlled or bribed to ignore my friends just because you want me to!" I stated implacably.

"Say what you want." There was a hard iciness to his tone that was a drastic departure from his usual calm collectedness. (Apparently we were both rubbing each other the wrong way.) "You're not getting off that bed until Carlisle says so!"

I stared at him, unable to believe that I'd ever thought his actions to be charming and chivalrous when they'd been nothing but his not-so-subtle way of _managing_ me. And now that I finally saw him for what he really was, I couldn't believe that I'd been so stupidly susceptible to his bullshit in the past.

But Lisa spoke up before I could vocalize my thoughts (and took away my chance to let him know, in unequivocal terms, where he could shove his opinions). "Bella, maybe it's better if you give her some time to compose herself. Leah doesn't strike me as the sort of person who'd appreciate witnesses to her breakdown."

Irritated as I was, I couldn't deny the truth behind Lisa's words.

Meanwhile, Carlisle busied himself checking my pulse and blood pressure. "How're you feeling this morning?" He asked in his usual soothing manner. "You look good. More... well rested."

"Good?" Alice interrupted. "Please! Trust a guy to always understate things! She looks _great!_"

"Yes she does, doesn't she? I was just thinking that. She's looked better in the last three days than she has in all the time I've known her, I think." This, from the always candid Rosalie.

"What're you guys talking about? Bella _always_ looks good." Edward interrupted crossly, prompting Rose to roll her eyes exaggeratedly.

"You can cut out the bullshit, brother dear. Buttering her up is _not_ going to make her change her mind about being with you!"

"So doc, what's the verdict?" I asked Carlisle, barely managing to keep the smile off of my face. "Am I fit enough to be allowed out of this bed?" I went on, my voice loaded with sarcasm. (Of course, it came as no surprise that Edward missed it completely.)

"Good as new!" Carlisle declared with a satisfied smile.

"Good enough for me!" I immediately pushed the covers aside and climbed out of bed, afraid of giving anyone the opportunity to protest further.

A hot shower followed by breakfast, that's what I needed. "I'd appreciate some privacy guys, I need to take a quick shower," I threw over my shoulder as I made my way to the bathroom and turned the water on full blast.

While I was waiting for the water to heat up, I allowed my mind to wander. I was desperately afraid that the brutal slayings of the last three nights were nothing more than Vladimir's way of acting out at having lost me. (And though all of my friends made it a point to avoid the subject altogether, I knew that they were all thinking the same thing.) The guilt, the helplessness – were immense. People had lost their lives, because of _me_. And yet, there was nothing I could do about it. No way in which I could make it better – not when I was forbidden from even stepping out of the house.

This was the third day that I would be spending in the Cullen household, doing nothing more strenuous than talking to people and watching endless movies on the state of the art DVD player. I wasn't allowed to go out of the house – not at all, not even to stretch my legs. And of course, as usual, it was all for my own good… for my own safety, I thought resentfully. It was yet another day that I would be forced to stay indoors, safe behind the walls of this house, while everyone else risked their lives for me. The thought made me sick.

It was deemed too much of a risk for me to be exposed in any way to the outside elements. Apparently, I was safest within the confines of the house which was outfitted with steel reinforced walls and a virtually unbreakable security system, not to mention all the 'wards' that Lisa had put in place over the duration of the last few days. And while I admired the diligence over the security measures and was immensely grateful to all my friends for doing so much to ensure my safety, I also couldn't help feeling a little bitter about it. It was like the battle with Victoria and the newborns all over again. Take Bella far, far away. Keep her safe at all costs – no matter who gets hurt in the process. God, I was so sick of being treated like a fragile and priceless china doll – something to be protected and preserved, no matter what the cost.

But at the same time, I wasn't stupid, or childish enough to disregard the instructions. (Not that I could even if I wanted to. At any given point of time, I had a minimum of five people – read guards – surrounding me. And given that they were all supernatural beings with extremely acute senses, I didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of eluding them.) I knew that the rigid rules had been put in place for my own safety. The fact that Vladimir had managed to take me from Jake's house just demonstrated the extent of his powers, of his reach.

A scalding hot shower later, I felt marginally more equipped to tackle whatever new issues the night had brought.

After having scrubbed myself dry, I donned the first items of clothing I could get my hands on (which in this case happened to be sweat pants and a long sleeved t-shirt), Alice and Rose's comments came back to me. What had they meant when they said that I looked better than I'd ever looked before? How was the even possible? I wiped the steam off the mirror so that I could determine for myself.

The image staring back at me finally clued me in to what they'd been talking about! I looked (and to hell with modesty) freaking amazing! My skin was glowing, my eyes were bright and my hair... wow, my hair was shining with lustrous health. How had I not noticed this before? Probably because I was too preoccupied during the last three days to notice something so trivial (in my opinion, at least.) But now, having it pointed out to me had made the fact rather difficult to ignore. Clearly, whatever potion that sick bastard, Vladimir, had forced down my throat, it'd worked better than a whole week at a spa. I could honestly say that I'd never looked better, or fresher or better rested.

The only thing marring my otherwise flawless appearance was, of course, the mark on my neck – the mating mark.

I tried to evaluate the crescent shaped mark on my neck dispassionately. It was nothing special to look at (It looked exactly like how a bite mark should look), but oddly enough, it _felt_ different... special. For one, it didn't hurt – not even a little bit, not even if I pressed down on it – and for another, it'd healed really fast. (Just three days after the incident, and it already looked like I'd borne the scar for _years_ instead of mere days.) But the weirdest thing of all was that it was always warm to the touch; almost as if it generated a heat of its own. (Much like Jake, come to think of it.)

Mated to Jacob. Wow. Never thought I'd say _those_ words. Talk about a game changer! I'd gone from being married to a vampire, to being divorced, to being mated to a werewolf. Epic much?

To be honest, though, I still wasn't sure what to make of the whole mating situation. Or how I felt about everything it supposedly represented. I knew I loved him, (there was no doubt in my mind about that). And I wanted to spend my whole life with him; that was pretty much a given too. But a part of me couldn't help but wish that things had been a bit more... _conventional_ as far as we were concerned.

I would've _loved_ to take things slowly with him – to go out on dates, to spend time with each other as normal people (instead of a werewolf and a perpetual danger magnet), to just hang out and get to know each other all over again – before either of us made life changing decisions like wanting to spend the rest of our lives together. That's how things were supposed to be between us – natural, normal... easy. We deserved all of that without having this supernatural shit thrown in our faces. But thanks to Jacob's wolf, normal had been thrown out of the window forever as far as we were concerned. We were bonded together by this unbreakable connection and neither of us really had a choice about what we were going to do about it.

Not that I hated the bond, far from it, but I still had my doubts about how Jacob felt about it. Just before he left on the seemingly endless patrol, he'd mentioned something about how I was wrong in assuming that he hated it and that I had a tendency to jump to conclusions without knowing all sides of the issue at hand, whatever that was supposed to mean. And, call me an eternal optimist, but I _think_ he'd been about to tell me (Finally!) that he... loved me too. (At least I hope that's what he'd been about to say.) But Sam's interruption and the subsequent carnage Vladimir was wreaking on the poor unsuspecting residents of Forks and Port Angeles had pretty much guaranteed that I was still in the dark as far as his feelings were concerned.

And dammit, I needed to know. I'd been ignorant long enough. With the way things had taken a turn, with this whole mating thing, I just couldn't afford to twiddle my thumbs any longer. If Jake loved me, I needed to know. And if he didn't; well I needed to know about that too. And preferably, before I got even _more_ involved. Letting him go would hurt immeasurably now; I had no illusions about that; but it would hurt even more in the future. In fact, I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that it had the potential to destroy me and frankly, I was done letting any guy – even Jake – have that kind of power over me. (One co-dependent relationship was enough to last me a lifetime, thank you very much!) So essentially, what it all came down to was that, if he didn't love me I'd have to let him go, despite the so-called constraints of the bond.

The problem of course, was that Jacob wasn't around to clarify any of these issues for me. And he hadn't been around for three whole days. The wait... the not knowing, was _killing_ me! I was done waiting... just... done. I needed to see him. I just had to! So, that left me with only one option. If he couldn't come to me, I'd just have to go to him myself. That was the only option available to me; the only way out of my current debilitating uncertainty. The only question was - how the hell was I going to convince a member of my supernatural guard to break me out of here, get me into a car and drive me to Jacob without having a hissy fit about it?

"You alright in there, Izzy?" Dylan called through the door, sounding worried. Uh oh, the cavalry had been dispatched. Apparently my brief respite was over.

"I'm fine!" I snapped, disappointed to have my thought process cut short.

"Umm... you're obviously _not_ fine since you're acting all huffy and prissy and shit." He called back cheerfully. "What's bothering you, love? Is it Leah? What she said? She didn't mean it, you know that, right?"

"No, it isn't Leah!"

"Then what is it? Care to talk about it?"

Ugh! Why did everyone want me to _talk _about it, dammit? I had _nothing_ to talk about. To anyone! (Except Jake, of course) I'd been the main topic of discussion for the last three days – whether it was my health or my mental well-being and frankly, I'd had enough of the third degree! Jake was the only one I wanted to talk to, the only one I wanted to see and _talking_ to anyone else wasn't going to help me with that! "I'm fine dammit! Leave me _alone!_"

"Well, get on with it then, will you? You've been in there for more than half an hour! Other people might need to use the facilities too, you know?" He responded haughtily. (Not for one second did I believe that he bought into my claim of being alright but thankfully, he was one of the few people present here who knew when to prod me for answers and when to leave me the hell alone.)

"Coming!" I snapped out churlishly. What gave him the right to be haughty anyway? If anyone had the right to be bitchy and snappish it was me, dammit! _I _was the one who'd been kidnapped, tortured and used as a playtime snack, not him! Moreover, _I_ was the one in this weird limbo! And if I wanted to stay in this damn bathroom for the next two hours then I damn well would and Dylan, or anyone else for that matter, would just have to deal with it!

For a brief moment, it occurred to me that I was, quite probably, channeling Leah at her worst but I dismissed the moment of rationality. In my condition, I figured, I was entitled to at least one hissy fit per day.

Just as I was about to tell Dylan to go to hell, my brain finally caught up to the rest of my thoughts. It was as if I had a sudden, blinding moment of clarity. Leah! She was the only one who could get me out of here and to Jacob, wherever he was. Somehow, I just had to convince her that it was imperative for me to find him as soon as I could. It would still be tricky, no doubt, but it was the only viable strategy I could come up with at the moment.

Despite my urge to lock myself in the bathroom, I realized that I would have to actually get out there in order to put my plan into action. With that in mind, I made quick work of slapping on some moisturizer and running a brush through my hair before opening the door to him.

"Where's the fire, Dylan?" I grumbled in annoyance, trying to stay in character so as not to arouse any untimely suspicions.

"And good morning to you too…" He chirped, a totally fake smile plastered to his face. "You look awful!"

"I do _not_!" I gasped; knowing full well that he was just trying to rile me up but unable to resist rising to his bait nonetheless. "I'll have you know, I've _never_ looked better!"

"Uh...wow. Modest much...?" He taunted me in a laughing manner.

He was making fun of me? He was _laughing_ at me? Un-freaking-believable! How _dare_ he? Ugh! He drove me freaking _crazy!_ "I _am_ modest, you ass! And I look _awesome_, dammit! It's not my fault if you can't see it!"

"Hey!" He protested; both his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "I just call it like I see it…" He sounded so matter-of-fact; as if that explained it all.

"Well, in the future, don't!" I snapped. "No wonder you're single, what with your shitty attitude. Haven't you ever heard of charm?"

"Oy, now I'm totally offended! I'll have you know, I'm the most charming man in all of England…hell all of Europe, even."

I scoffed disbelievingly. Dylan and his delusions of grandeur! But then, where would I be without him, really? Or without Lisa for that matter? Moping around somewhere most likely. Really, they'd both been godsends. They'd been my sounding boards and shoulders to cry on for the last three days, ever since I'd gotten back from that ordeal at Vladimir's hands. They'd alternated between reassuring me and railing at me…doing whatever it took, really, to get me out of my funk. And they'd come up with some amazingly creative swear words for that sick bastard…names that I'd never even heard about and that would more than likely make even the most profane sailors blush.

"So, what's the hurry all about?" I asked again, a little more rationally.

"Sorry, love." He apologized, sounding appropriately apologetic. "Her highness, Queen Lisa was worried about the amount of time you were gone and sent me to do her bidding and check up on you." He explained scathingly.

Yeah, that was yet another fallout of that disastrous night. Ever since we'd found out about Lisa's witchy powers Dylan had been pouting. And I don't just mean small time 'I'm not talking to you' kind of pouting either. This was hardcore… with fights and yelling and full-fledged feelings of betrayal.

To quote Dylan, his complaints were two-fold. First, he was upset that she'd kept us, her closest friends, in the dark about her abilities (although, being the primary secret keeper of most supernatural secrets in the Pacific Northwest, I could kinda understand her reasoning there) and second, he now felt like he was the only superfluous party (me notwithstanding) in this whole matter. The only one who couldn't offer a valuable contribution – his words, not mine.

Given that I could give him hours and hours of lectures on that particular subject, I couldn't exactly blame him for feeling left out either. I absolutely understood how horrible it felt to be kept in the dark by someone you knew and loved (_and_ I was practically an expert on feeling useless too!) This unfortunately found me in the uncomfortable position of being caught in between two of my best friends while they bickered and squabbled; my loyalty towards both of them preventing me from siding with one over the other.

"So, I guess you guys are still fighting, huh?" I sighed.

"Nuh uh!" Dylan retorted childishly. "I'm not the one who's fighting. _She_ started it! After all, she's the one keeping secrets!"

"God, Dylan…!" Lisa groaned exasperatedly; having walked over just in time to hear his accusation. "Quit being such a _baby!_" She snapped.

"B... _Baby?_" He spluttered indignantly, at a loss for words.

"For the last time, I didn't set out to lie to you or to hide things from you on purpose! It was a family secret and I was kinda obliged to keep it!"

"And yet, you told _Seth_ before you told us," came Dylan's snappy reply.

And _therein_ lay the crux of the was definitely a sore topic for Dylan. As far as he was concerned, Lisa had no business revealing her secrets to a 'bloody, sodding prat' (again, his words, not mine) who thought way too much of himself before she told her best friends in the world. He frequently complained that Lisa was spending a lot of time in the company of the young werewolf (she really was); more than she'd ever spent with any other guy before. Under normal circumstances, Lisa tended to be a little on the shy side and we had to almost push her at guys to get her to open up to them. Not so with Seth.

They'd been together almost every waking moment for the last three days. Ostensibly, it was on the pretext of practicing her spells or discussing the witchy healing she was giving Embry but we all knew better. Something was going on between Lisa and Seth, something fishy. Oh yeah, they fought all the time on the surface (He called her by all these cutesy nicknames and she blew up at him) but even that couldn't disguise the sparks that flew around whenever those two interacted. Of course, neither of them was willing to admit to the crazy sexual vibe just yet but I knew, better than anyone, that such intense chemistry couldn't be denied for long. I knew that it'd only be a matter of time before they succumbed to it.

Dylan wasn't blind. He saw it too. And it drove him crazy! I think it was a simple matter of being insecure. Not only were both his best friends firmly entrenched in the supernatural world but now they were both involved in relationships (or pseudo relationships as the case may be) and he couldn't help but feel left out. Poor guy…

"Oh no, not this again…" Lisa groaned. "You're being utterly _ridiculous_, you know that, right?"

"_I'm_ being ridiculous...?" He spat back, incensed. "Sure, fine... whatever you say! After all, what do I know, right?"

"I told you, D, I _had_ to tell him. I didn't have a choice!" She repeated with exaggerated patience. "He happened to stumble upon me practicing a spell and I zapped him with enough energy to knock him off his feet! How was I supposed to explain that away?"

"Hmmpf! Whatever!"

I'd been party to enough arguments over the last few days to know that one was brewing right now. I knew they weren't really fighting and most of this was nothing more than childish tantrums and hurt egos but I didn't have the time _or_ the energy to play mediator once again.

"Guys please, not now!" I barked, just barely controlling the urge to roll my eyes in exasperation. "I've had it with the both of you! Yes, Lisa's a witch and she didn't tell us about it. Dylan, you need to get over it. Lisa, you need to be more sensitive to Dylan's feelings. He feels left out, and he isn't wrong in feeling so. So honestly, stop behaving like kids and grow up!"

"Bu…" Dylan began, only to shut his mouth rather abruptly after seeing the set of my jaw.

"I'm going to go see Leah now," I continued in the same stern voice, pretending as if there hadn't been any interruptions. "When I get back, I want both of you to be back to normal. No excuses!"

As quickly as possible I made my way to the upper level where they were keeping Embry in what was technically the master bedroom. The door was shut, but not locked. I twisted the knob lightly, letting myself in.

The room didn't look anything like the last time I'd seen it. Back then; it'd been the master bedroom – Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, to be precise. But now, it looked like a brand new, state of the art Intensive care Unit. Embry was hooked onto various life support machines; looking paler than I'd ever seen him before. His sunken cheeks, the pallor of his skin, the circles under his eyes, they all spoke their own story of just how much of a toll the vampire venom had taken on him. Despite my former urgency, all I could do at that moment was stand there in mute shock and disbelief over his condition. The respirator that facilitated his breaths and the slow drip of the IV filled with werewolf blood were the only sounds in the room. I hoped to God that Carlisle and Jacob were right, and that the werewolf blood would work, giving Embry the needed regenerative powers to heal himself from the inside out, because it was unbearably difficult seeing my friend like this.

A shuddering sob sounded, pulling my attention from Embry's still form to Leah who was slouched in the chair next to the bed, her entire posture reflecting pain and defeat. I knew that she was aware of my presence and the fact that she was so openly displaying her emotions in front of me made my heart twist painfully in my chest. Operating solely on instinct, I went over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be okay Leah..."

"You don't know that." The quiet desperation in her voice was palpable.

"Yes I do!" I insisted with a confidence I was nowhere close to feeling. "He's getting better. Carlisle was just saying so. Jake's idea of replacing his tainted blood with all of yours is a good, solid idea Leah. He's going to get better soon. In fact, before you know it, he'll be up and about, back to his usual smug self."

"I hope you're right. God, what I wouldn't do to hear his voice right now..." The naked hope in her voice brought tears to my eyes. She loved him. She really, really loved him. God, how could I have missed that?

I couldn't help feeling supremely inadequate for the task of consoling the formerly unflappable Leah Clearwater. "Well, it won't be long now. I know it. I just know it." I blabbered on, hoping against hope that my words were helping her, at least a little. "You've just got to keep your faith, okay? Don't give up on him, no matter what. He'll come back to you... if you want it enough, it'll happen."

She gave me a bittersweet smile. "I hope you intend to follow your own advice this time around."

"What do you mean?"

"Jacob. I know he can be an ass sometimes, but if you love him – and I know you do – you can't give up on him. Not like you did last time. Trust me when I say that it nearly destroyed him completely. He won't survive it again."

I didn't know what to say. Her directness had managed to render me mute.

"You know," She went on without pause, "when I was with Sam, I thought we were blissfully happy. We were engaged to be married; head over heels in love with each other and I'd just found out that I was going to have a baby..."

What...? Leah had been pregnant? How come no one had told me this before?

"No one knew." She responded to the quiet question in my eyes. "Sam left me for Emily and the pain, the stress I was under resulted in a miscarriage. It was over before it'd even really sunk in. And I thought that I'd dealt with the pain and the loss, you know? But I hadn't, not really. For the longest time, I kept everyone at a distance, refusing to date, refusing to love. And then Embry came along and broke through all of my barriers one by one. And still I held him at a distance; afraid to care for him too deeply and yet unable to keep myself detached. I was desperately terrified that I was going to lose him – to death, to true love, to an _imprint!_" She spat the word, almost as if it left a disgusting taste in her mouth. "So I never told him I loved him, even though I did… I do. And look where that stubbornness, that fear has led me. I could lose the one person who I care about the most in the whole world and he doesn't even know how much he means to me. Don't make that same mistake Bella. Or you'll end up as bitter and as lost as I am."

I blinked to clear the haze of moisture in my eyes. "I did tell Jake how I felt about him. He just didn't say it back..." I hated sounding like this – insecure, desperately afraid – but Leah's unflinching honesty had robbed me of all of my masks completely.

"He loves you, Bella. There is no doubt in my mind about that. But he's also scared. You're the one person in the world who can bring him to his knees. He bared his soul to you once and you rejected him. Is it any wonder that he's being a little reticent with his feelings now?"

"No, I guess not."

"Do you really love him? The forever after kind of crap they try to sell us into believing these days...?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation, no doubt.

"Then you have to tell him, again and again if you have to. Keep saying it till he has no choice but to believe it. That's what I'm going to do the moment this idiot decides to wake up. And then I'm going to stop caring about what happens in the future and just live for the present...hopefully with the person who I love more than I've ever loved anyone before..."

A groan sounded, interrupting the emotionally charged moment. Our gazes snapped to Embry, whose eyes were open and fixed unblinkingly on Leah. "Oh my God, Embry!" She cried out. "You're awake!" It was no surprise that there were tears flowing down both of our cheeks. "How are you feeling? Should I get Carlisle?"

That spurred me into action. "Hold on, I'll get him for you..." I spoke up, making a move to leave the room.

"No..." Embry's voice still sounded thready and weak, but the command in it was unmistakable. Both Leah and I froze in place.

"Do you need anything? Water? Any pain meds? Should I call Jake and the guys?" It was clear that Leah didn't know what to do with herself.

"Say it again..." Embry breathed, impatiently brushing away all her attempts at fussing over him.

"Say what?" Leah sounded confused. Frankly, I was too.

"What you just said to Bella, about loving me."

"You heard that?" Now Leah appeared flustered beyond belief.

"Yes. But I need to make sure that I didn't dream it all up. So dammit, just say it again!"

Leah smiled, a beatific smile, even as her eyes still sparkled with tears. "I love you Embry. I've been in love with you for a long time now. I was just too much of an idiot to tell you about it."

Though he was clearly still in a lot of pain, Embry's smile was bright enough to light up the whole house. "About damn time!" He exclaimed triumphantly before pulling her down to him for a kiss.

I felt awkward being part of this conversation. It was clear that both Embry and Leah were completely immersed in each other; completely oblivious to my presence. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to make any noise and interrupt this poignant moment between the two.

What was more, I found myself strangely reluctant to carry on with my earlier plans. After everything Embry and Leah had gone through, after the way she'd bared her heart to me, I felt more than a little sick asking her to bust me out of here. Even if she agreed to do it, she'd be in a lot of trouble later on – with the Cullens and the pack, but especially with Jacob. And it just didn't seem right to ask her to take that big a risk; not when she and Embry were just getting their acts together.

Another look at them revealed that they were still wrapped up in each other's arms; both of them crying openly now. I felt like the worst kind of voyeur; spying on a moment that was clearly very personal to both of them. I cleared my throat noisily, "Uh guys... I-I'm gonna go. I'll see you guys later. Em, I'm so glad you're feeling better..." I blurted all of this out, without looking either of them in the eye. (I was happy for them, I really was, but their happiness just served as a reminder of the weird limbo my own love life was in at the moment.)

I turned away my shoulders slumped dejectedly. Well, that was that I guess. Now I had no option but to wait and hope for Jake to come back soon.

Unfortunately, I ran into Edward as soon as I stepped out of Embry's room. It was almost as if he'd been biding his time, just waiting around to ambush me. Great. Just great!

"What do you want Edward?" I questioned impatiently.

"What do 'I' want? I want to know what you're up to?"

"Nothing..." I responded as nonchalantly as I could manage. Internally, I was hoping against hope that he was just fishing and that he hadn't figured out that I'd been planning to make a run for it. "Just wanted to check in on Embry. He's awake by the way. You might want to let Carlisle know."

He brushed off my efforts at deflection. "Don't lie to me Bella. I know you're up to something."

"_What_ is your problem?" I snapped, my patience reaching its breaking point.

"_You're_ my problem, Bella! You refuse to take care of yourself, refuse to follow Carlisle's orders. What is wrong with _you_? Aren't you the least bit concerned about your well-being?"

Ugh! Honestly, I couldn't deal with him right now. Not on top of the emotional upheaval I was going through. So I didn't bother responding to his questions, choosing instead to stalk back to my bed in a huff.

The moment I settled down, the rest of the Cullen's trickled in; Esme with a tray loaded with eggs and toast and freshly cut fruits that she set down in front of me. Wow. The special treatment felt good (oh who was I kidding, it felt great) but after three days (not to mention all the years I'd spent with Edward) of the same, it just grated on my nerves. (Especially since it came on the heels of Edward acting like such a world-class jerk!)

It was bad enough that I had to be stuck in the house for God knows how long, but to be waited on hand and foot, like an invalid… God! (There was nothing the matter with me. Carlisle had ascertained that repeatedly over the course of the last three days!) What, now I wasn't even allowed to make my own breakfast? Maybe the stove posed too much danger to me! Or no, maybe it was the cutting board that would lead me to my doom! Ugh!

In a tiny corner of my mind I was aware that I was being utterly ridiculous, but after three days of being completely cooped up, I was _this_ close to losing my ever-loving mind! (Cabin fever – I had a newfound appreciation for the term.) And then, to top it off, I hadn't seen Jacob in what felt like forever and Edward was being an ass and the rest of them... they were fussing and being over attentive as usual. I couldn't go on this way. I just couldn't! I'd go crazy… stark, raving crazy!

But of course, I couldn't just say what I wanted to, not without hurting their feelings. So, I tried to take a different approach – tactful but firm. "I appreciate this. I really do. But I can make my own breakfast."

"Nonsense!" Alice scoffed. "Why would you want to do that? It's no bother Bella. We all love pampering you, you know that."

Yes, unfortunately I did. Only too well. That's all they'd done for as long as I'd known them. Pampered me, protected me, lied to me for 'my own good', made decisions for me! And while it'd been good enough for the stupid, shy and desperate for attention little girl I'd been, it was definitely _not_ acceptable to the grown-up, mature version of me. I was more than capable of taking care of myself for heaven's sake, or making my own damn breakfast for that matter! Granted, I was more fragile than them in most aspects, but that still didn't give them the license to treat me like an invalid. Contrary to their beliefs, I was _not_ going to set myself on fire while cooking a few eggs! Grrrr!

I wanted to snap at her, I really did, but I knew that despite being completely misguided, she meant well. They all did. And for that reason; and _that_ reason alone; I tried to temper my voice when I spoke to her. "I know you mean well, Alice... all of you do. You always have my best intentions at heart. I'm well aware of that. And in the past, I've relied on your help and support one too many times. I've hidden behind you and expected you to take care of me. But, I'm a _grown_ woman now and contrary to your beliefs, I _can_ take care of myself. This... this pampering and coddling and the 'spoiling me rotten' thing, while fun in the past, is honestly beginning to grate on my nerves now. Please, I love all of you and I know that you love me too. So if you honestly want to be a part of my life; in the long term; you all need to stop treating me like a child and let me live my life the way I deem fit!" Uh oh. Apparently, the 'no snapping' idea hadn't worked out the way I'd initially intended it to. There was too much pent up emotion and frustration accumulated from over the years for that.

A moment of stunned silence followed my outburst. The Cullen's stole wary glances at each other, like they didn't know how to respond to that bit of information. It was clear to me that they hadn't expected me to react this harshly to their seemingly simple gesture. Alice, particularly, looked completely taken aback.

And Esme... _God_, Esme looked like she'd been slapped in the face. "Bu... but, it's only breakfast." She stuttered uncomfortably.

Oh dammit, now I'd hurt her feelings and that was the last thing I'd wanted to do. I felt awful; like an ungrateful wretch! "Yes, I know. And I appreciate the gesture, I really do!" I hastened to make amends. "But honestly, all of you need to give me a little space, let me make my own mistakes and learn from them. I'm 24. I can take care of myself now..."

"Of... of course." Esme muttered. "We'll just leave you alone now." Without meeting my eyes, she briskly ushered all the Cullen's out of the room. Everyone except Edward, of course. I should've expected that it would take more than a tantrum to get him to leave me alone.

Whatever, I had so many other things to deal with right now, things like my recent fit of temper.

Ugh! That had not gone well. Not at all. I felt like a first rate jackass! I hated that look on Esme's face and worse still, I hated being the reason for that look. She'd been nothing but kind and wonderful to me ever since Edward had first introduced us. In fact, she'd always treated me more like a daughter than my own mother and I'd repaid her kindness first by divorcing her son and now by yelling at her for making me breakfast! Wow. I was _such_ a _bitch_!

"What was _that_ all about?" Edward's tone indicated his displeasure at my behavior. Still, no matter what he said, he couldn't make me feel any worse than I already did.

"I don't really want to talk about it Edward. Don't worry, I'll apologize to Esme the next time I see her."

"That's not the point. The point is that you've never been this irritable or disagreeable in the past before. You yelled at Esme... and for no reason at that. The Bella I knew would never have done something like that." He managed to sound disapproving and disappointed all at the same time.

Sigh. "The Bella you knew was a shy, insecure child, who was too scared to stand up for herself. I'm not that child anymore. I know what I want and how to get it. I know my own mind. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to condone my behavior, or excuse it, I'm just saying that you shouldn't compare the girl I was to the woman I am now."

"Since when does growing up entail you abandoning all your manners and yelling at a poor, defenseless woman who has always loved you like one of her own? We both know that 'growing up' has nothing to do with your lack of manners. It's the result of spending way too much time with the mutt, that's all."

The way he said that; the slightly superior condescension in his tone; made my hackles rise. "Don't go there Edward..." I warned.

"Why not? I'm seeing the woman I love change before my very eyes and I'm just supposed to let it go...? No way!"

"Edward please!"

He misunderstood the urgency in my voice. "Please what, Bella? Just tell me what you want, love and I'll give it to you."

Oh God, this was awful! He was clearly still deluding himself about the nature of our relationship and that delusion was going to hurt him immensely in the long term.

"It's not too late, you know." He went on, oblivious to my discomfort with this topic of conversation. "Please, come back to me. I made you happy once; I can do so again! Please darling... things will be different this time around, I promise!"

That's it; I had to nip this in the bud – once and for all. I didn't relish hurting him, but I didn't want him to have false hopes either. "It _is_ too late Edward. It is far, far too late for us." I corrected him as gently as I could.

He gave me a disbelievingly look. "But..."

"No buts, Edward. You and I are over."

"How can you say that? I still love you. And I know that you can learn to love me again too, if you just give it enough time."

"I can't Edward. I can't do what you want me to. I'm sorry."

"It's the mutt, isn't it?"

"_Jacob_" I corrected pointedly, "is one of the main reason's why, yes…"

"What happens if he doesn't feel the same way about you? Will you be open to giving us another chance then?"

"I don't want to give you any false hopes. My feelings for Jacob...? They're the real deal. I love him. I'll _always_ love him. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop. Not even if he doesn't ever love me back. And besides, even if I never end up with him, there's still no chance of us ever getting back together. You should accept that and move on."

His face crumpled. "So all those times you claimed to love me in the past... they were all lies?"

My heart ached for him; for the pain he was obviously in. "No, of course not! I _did_ love you Edward. And a part of me always will. You were my first love after all, that's pretty hard to forget. But too much has happened since then. I've grown up. And the person I've grown up to be realizes that we were too different to have ever worked in the long term. Jacob has been and always will be my best friend. He understood me, even when I didn't understand myself. And unfortunately for both of us, you never did."

"That's not true!"

"_Yes_, it is. How many times did you make my decisions for me Edward? You left me, for my own good without even telling me why you were leaving. You prevented me, time and again, from seeing Jake. For heaven's sake, you bribed your sister to kidnap me just to keep me from seeing him! You tampered with my car! And no matter what I told myself at the time, none of those things were sweet or romantic. They were just controlling and manipulative. Did you know how inadequate and insufficient I felt when I was with you…? How stupid? I'm not saying it was all your fault. I accept my fair share of blame, especially since I was too much of a dumb idiot to tell you how much I hated all your little lies and manipulations. But you knew how much I needed you at the time. And you used my feelings for you to make me do things that I never wanted to do in the first place. I never wanted to stop talking to Jacob. That was all you. I never wanted to get married either and yet, you coerced me into doing it anyway."

The defeated look in his eyes gave me brief pause. Maybe now wasn't the right time to be saying all these things to him. But the more I spoke, the more I didn't want to stop. I'd never said any of these things to him. And dammit, he needed to hear it, all of it! "Our honeymoon was a disaster because you thought you hurt me and then refused to touch me again, no matter how much I told you it was okay to do so. And then, the icing on the cake, was when you drugged me and forced me to abort our child! How can any of that constitute 'being understanding' Edward...? Tell me, please. I'm dying to know!" I stopped talking; emotionally, physically spent. And yet, saying all those things to him actually felt... cathartic.

The utterly broken look on Edward's face sobered me up instantly. Wow. First Esme now Edward. I was just on a roll today wasn't I? Feeling horribly guilty for the way I'd spoken to him, I walked over to him and put my arms around him. "I'm sorry Edward, I really am." I pulled back slightly, wanting him to see my eyes as I said the next part. "I don't want to hurt you. But there's just no going back."

"So, this is it...?" He asked, sounding awfully like a lost boy. "This is really the end?"

"Unfortunately." I confirmed, treading on eggshells. "But, I'd really like it if we could still be friends..."

"He doesn't deserve you, you know." His eyes, as he reached for me, were filled with a wealth of sorrow.

"Thank you for saying that." I said, giving him a bittersweet smile. "It's not true, of course, but it's still sweet of you to say so."

His arms tightened around me convulsively, pulling me impossibly closer. He bent his head into the crook of my neck, breathing me in. Being in this position with him felt weird and awkward but I didn't voice my objections. I couldn't help feeling like it was the least I could do, after the way I'd so cruelly shattered his heart. So I let him hold me, trying to convey my sorrow and regret through my embrace.

"_What_ the _fuck_ is going on here?" The furious query had me scrambling to get as far away from Edward as I possibly could. Holy crap! I was _so_ screwed. Three days of absence and Jacob had to walk in at the exact moment that I was giving Edward a goodbye hug...? What were the chances – one in a million? God, karma was such a bitch! I was almost positive that the Gods or the Angels or whoever it was who pulled all our strings were laughing their asses off right about now at the predicament I'd unwittingly put myself in.

"J-Jake!" I stuttered, giving him a bright smile. "When did you get here?"

"I asked you a question, Bella." He reiterated, ignoring my obvious attempt at changing the subject. He sounded livid.

"This isn't what it looks like..." Why was I being so defensive? I'd done nothing wrong!

"Isn't it?" He questioned sarcastically.

"No, it isn't!" I stated assertively.

"Bella you don't need to explain anything to this uncouth..." Edward began angrily.

That was as far as he got before Jacob gave him a scathing glare. "Fuck. Off."

Edward's old world upbringing didn't leave room for swear words in his vocabulary. "There's no need for that kind of language." He responded stiffly.

"Yeah? Well, I don't fucking _give_ a damn!"

I sucked in an involuntary breath. Oh God, this was _not _how I'd imagined my reunion with Jacob would be. I'd imagined hugs and kisses and heartfelt declarations of love. Instead, he was mad. He was really, really mad. So mad, in fact, that I could feel his anger all around me, almost as if it had a life of its own.

"Come on, Bella, we're leaving."

"What?" Edward exclaimed, at the exact same time that I asked, "Why?"

Jake disregarded both of our questions with supreme indifference. "I said, we're _leaving_." He stated emphatically, leaving me in no doubt as to how serious he was.

My temper sparked. If he thought he could boss me around, he had another thing coming! "I'm not going anywhere with you, not while you're in this kind of a mood." I declared defiantly.

In response, Jacob leaned in really close – close enough that I could feel his breath on my face – and whispered silkily. "Get your ass out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself!"

"Jacob!" I gasped, stunned at his outrageous behavior.

"You don't have to go anywhere with him unless you want to, Bella." Edward spoke up.

Jacob did _not_ appreciate Edward's interference but he chose not to comment on it. "Bella, you have two minutes to get out that damn door and into my car" he warned hoarsely, "before I fuck you senseless in front of all your friends and family!"

Our eyes met, his gaze drilling into mine relentlessly. My breath caught in my throat. God, he meant it. He meant every word of it. Heat raced up my spine – heat that had nothing to do with shyness and everything to do with the way his eyes raked over me possessively.

My heart thundered; my body temperature shot through the roof. His words, the way he said them… God! I could feel the moisture seeping out of me, my body reacting to the image his words had generated.

And then, I became conscious of the fact that we were far from alone here – in fact, I was willing to bet my life on the fact that everyone here had been privy to this conversation, other than my dad, Billy and Sue that is. (Thank god for small mercies!)

My face flamed with mortification. Damn my pale skin! Striving desperately for a nonchalance I didn't feel, I walked out of the room with my head held high. I lost some of my bluster when I saw all of my friends going out of their way to avoid my gaze. God how embarrassing. They'd heard everything. But, it wasn't like I hadn't expected it. Besides, why should I cower? This was Jacob's doing, not mine.

Not wanting to cause a bigger scene if I could help it, I made my way to his car silently, just like he'd asked me to.

I'd barely situated myself in the passenger seat before Jake stomped out of the house himself. He took his place behind the wheel, snapped on his seatbelt and with a screech of the tires, peeled out of the driveway; all without sparing a single glance at me. Oh, so it was going to be that way was it? Fine by me. I could sulk with the best of them. If he wanted to behave like I didn't exist, well, I was going to oblige him and behave the same way. (I didn't exactly have to fake it. I was mad at him about his high-handedness in ordering me around.)

The rest of the drive took place in utter silence. I was dying to ask where he was taking me, but had too much pride to break the impasse.

Finally, after about a half an hour of driving through tiny, unpaved back roads, we made a turn onto a familiar one. I sat back, my curiosity finally satisfied. We were going to the Rez, back to Billy's house, most likely.

A few moments later, a red house came into view, lending credence to my theory. Still seething about whatever it was that'd got him upset in the first place, Jacob pulled into the driveway, punched the brakes – hard – and then proceeded to put the car into 'Park' all while ignoring the horrible grinding of gears. I winced.

"Out." He spoke, his first word to me since leaving the Cullen's.

Of all the nerve! He was ordering me about like I was nothing more than a disobedient child! I got out of the car; not because he asked me to, but because I figured I'd have more room to land a good punch on him outside of the tiny confines of the vehicle; and slammed the door closed.

"Now what, oh mighty one?" I questioned, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

Of course, the irony of my remark was completely lost on him. Instead of losing his cool; like I'd wanted him to; he stepped out, calmly locked the car, walked up to the front door and unlocked it.

"Get in." He commanded calmly.

I followed him in, seething inside. Okay, this was it. I was going to slap him for being such an ass.

The moment the door shut behind us, it was as if his control shattered. Before I could even gasp, he whipped me around, pushed me against the door and slammed his lips down on mine in a bruising, punishing kiss.

I fought against his grasp, pushing him away with all my strength. "Stop! We need to talk!"

He overcame my struggles easily. After all, I was no match for his supernaturally enhanced power. "Talking is overrated."

"No dammit, it isn't!" I screeched in frustration. "I mean it Jake... stop!"

Finally, my words seemed to penetrate the haze of anger and need. With stiff, jerky movements, he let go of me and backed away. "Fine! Talk..." He gestured dismissively.

That was the absolute last straw for me. I lost whatever little patience I'd been holding on to. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" I snapped. "Why are you behaving like such an _asshole?_"

He tunneled his fingers through his hair in frustration while giving me a cold, hard smile. "The problem, my darling Bella, is that I'm jealous, and let me tell you, it's not a good feeling to have about your mate!"

Sudden understanding dawned. This reaction was a by-product of the mating bond. "Is that what this is about? But that's so silly. You should know by now that you have nothing to be jealous of."

"Oh, I should, should I? Well, forgive me for my _silliness,_ as you so delicately put it, but I don't know how else to react to the sight of a loving embrace between the woman that I'm desperately in love with and her former husband; who I might add, is supposedly the love of her life."

I lost my breath in a whoosh. What? "What?" I couldn't have heard right. There was no way he'd just told me he loved me, not in that tone of voice.

Completely oblivious to my shell-shocked reaction, he laughed sardonically. "Ironic, isn't it? Six years and we're still in the exact same place we were in back then. Me desperately in love with you and you, still unable to resist the pull of the bloodsucker!"

My heart ached with regret and love at the pain in his voice. Leah had been right. Behind all his anger and bravado was just a scared little boy, afraid of having his heart broken once again. Well, I'd learned my lesson. And I'd be damned if I ever hurt him again. "You're wrong Jake. We aren't in the same place we were in six years ago. Some things are different. And the biggest difference of all is that I'm head over heels in love with you too."

A shudder ran through him, giving me a sense of just how much my words affected him. The knowledge was heady, powerful stuff.

"So what was that hug all about?" He questioned. Understandably, he was still treading with caution.

"That was a goodbye hug!" I explained joyously. "I'd just finished telling him that we were over, no matter what happened between you and me. Edward was, as you can imagine, a little upset over the news. I was just consoling him, that's all."

"I wish I could believe you Bella, I really do. But our history hasn't left me with much of a choice…"

I was disappointed, desperately so. At the same time, I couldn't exactly blame him for his feelings. "I can't begin to make up for the past… or tell you how sorry I am for hurting you the way I did. The only excuse I have is that I was young and naïve and stupid."

His eyes reflected his pain. "It wasn't just the fact that you left Bella. It was the fact that you never came back, not even after your divorce." He explained candidly. "What's more, you didn't call or write or try to get in touch any other way."

I winced. After all this time, to be having this conversation just after he'd declared that he still loved me… God, life just wasn't fair! But at the same time, I recognized that no matter what, we couldn't move ahead without sorting out the mess I'd made of the past. "I wanted to Jake… God, I so wanted to get in touch with you. I even picked up the phone to call you so many times…"

"Then why didn't you?" He questioned hoarsely.

"Because I was broken. Irreparably so." I said sincerely. "And if I'd come back to you then, I'd have just used you and your love for me, like I had in the past… to repair myself. I just couldn't do that to you again Jake. You deserved better. You deserved a whole hell of a lot better!"

The explanation seemed to mollify him somewhat. "Would you ever have come back to me if Charlie wouldn't have gotten hurt?"

"Of course I would have, Jake! Maybe not now or even not in the near future, but I can tell you with a wholehearted conviction that I would have most definitely come back!"

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Sometimes I wonder how different things would've been if Edward hadn't done the things he had. But then I find that I'm too scared to ask the question for fear of getting an answer…"

My heart broke even more at the pain in his voice. But I couldn't lie to him. "I'd like to think that I would've been sane enough, mature enough to realize that I was making a mistake before it was too late, but I don't know Jacob. I just don't know. What I do know is that this was how things were supposed to turn out. We were always meant to end up here, with each other. You are my destiny Jake…not Edward, _never_ Edward."

"What I felt for him wasn't love, not really. It was an obsession and like most obsessions, sooner or later, it would've come to an end. You're my best friend – the one who understands me and stands by me, no matter what. You allow me to make my own mistakes, while making sure that you will be there to catch me in case I fall. You're the best part of me Jacob. What I feel for you, it's the real thing. I get that now. _You're_ the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Not eternity… because that's not how life works. I've grown up enough to know that. I want to live Jacob. And I want to spend that life with you, loving you. For as long as we have…"

The next instant, I was back in his arms while he smothered every inch of my face and neck with kisses. "God, I love you!" He whispered tenderly, "I love you so, _so_ much!"

"I love you too, Jake." I responded, overcome by happiness. I was finally exactly where I wanted to be, in the arms of the man I loved. Lost in my own thoughts, I absently pressed a kiss to his neck. He groaned low in his throat, his body going taut and just like that, the mood shot from relaxed to erotic, all in the space of a heartbeat. Acting purely on instinct, I undulated my body against him, trying to get maximum friction. He shuddered. "Bella, don't!" He admonished sharply. "I don't have a lot of control left at this point."

Control was way too overrated. Feeling bold, I leaned closer and swiped my tongue over his collarbone. His hands clutched my arms convulsively. "You're playing with fire, Bells, and if you don't stop, you're going to get burned."

To hell with safe! I was done with caution. "What if I _want_ to get burned?" I asked seductively, my tongue flicking out to repeat my earlier gesture.

He groaned, picking me up in his arms in one smooth movement. "Don't say I didn't warn you..." He warned dangerously. He urged me to hold on tight and then, with a burst of super-speed, sped us over to his old bedroom and deposited me on the bed.

Instead of joining me, he leaned over, grabbed a handful of my hair and buried his nose in it. "I can smell him all over you!" He growled menacingly.

"Do you want me to take a shower?" I questioned breathlessly. His entire demeanor was screaming with barely controlled passion and aggression and my entire body felt battered by the sensation.

"No!" He snapped. "I'm going to enjoy making you smell like me instead." I couldn't help but shudder at the erotic promise oozing from his words. "Now take off your clothes for me. Nice and slow..."

Even though I could feel the waves of embarrassment flowing through me, I was helpless to resist his command. As seductively as I could manage, I shrugged out of my top and unbuttoned my jeans.

The heated look he gave me, gave my confidence a much-needed boost. Feeling infinitely more brave, I aimed a coy look at Jake while allowing my panties to peek through the zipper.

Jake swore succinctly; batting my hands away to yank my jeans and panties off in one swift motion; leaving me clad only in my bra. Then, before I could gather my breath, he spread my legs apart and buried his tongue deep inside the very heart of me.

"_Jake!_" I gasped, my hands grabbing handfuls of his hair in a bid to hold on to something solid.

He shoved a pillow underneath my hips to position me the way he wanted me; while his hands held my thighs open for his assault. His tongue dove repeatedly inside me, devouring my delicate flesh ravenously. He was relentless – alternatively probing, licking and sucking me. He was in utter, ruthless control; one minute he was fast and frantic, speeding up till I was on the verge of shattering and then slowing down unbearably. The change of pace almost drove me insane.

Just when I thought I couldn't bear anymore, his teeth latched onto my clit and bit down – hard. I imploded – white-hot fire racing through my veins.

Before I could even begin to come down from my high, he made his way upwards, kissing and licking every inch of me as he went. There was a quick tug and a rip and my breasts were free and in his grasp. He devoured them – licking, nipping, sucking, before finally using his teeth. The fading sensations ratcheted, leaving me feeling as if my nerve endings had been electrified. "Look at me." He whispered, when he was finally level with me. Without waiting for a response, he tipped my chin upwards, forcing me to look him in the eye.

"Do you want me, Bella?" He questioned, his voice darkly commanding.

"W-what?" I stuttered, my brain still not operating at full capacity.

He fisted his hand in my hair, pulling on it demandingly. "Answer me!"

"_Yes!_"

"Do you want me to touch you, to kiss you...?" He bucked into me powerfully, giving me a taste of what was to come, leaving me panting for more. "Do you want me to _fuck_ you?"

"God _yes_…" I moaned deep in my throat, straining to get closer to him.

"Jacob. Say, yes Jacob!"

"Y-yes Jacob…" My voice sounded throaty, needy. The response seemed to please him, if his smile of masculine appreciation was any indication.

He leaned down and slowly, deliberately, swiped his tongue over the mating mark on my neck. I couldn't believe how sensitive it was to his touch. "Jacob!" I screamed, falling over the edge all over again.

But he wasn't done yet. In fact, he seemed to just be getting started. Slowly, deliberately, he disentangled his hand from my hair and cupped my heaving breast, pinching my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. I hissed, needing more.

He pulled back teasingly.

"Oh, please don't stop…" I sobbed; not caring that I sounded desperately needy.

"There's no need to beg. Yet…" He trailed off ominously, leaving the rest to my imagination. His fingers forged a blazing trail all over my body – up and down the length of my thighs.

My breath hitched in my chest. And yet, he wouldn't touch me, not where I so desperately wanted… needed him to. My body went haywire as I squirmed around uncomfortably. Despite having two earth shattering orgasms, my body was on fire for more. "Please!" I begged.

"Please what…?"

"Touch me…" I breathed, taking a couple of deep breaths to get a grip on my raging hormones.

"I _am_ touching you…"

"More… I want more."

"Then turn around."

I wasted no time in following his wishes. By that time I was so frantic to have him once again that I'd have done anything he asked me to. Anything.

"That's a good girl." His hand stroked over the satin roundness of my hips, while the whiskey smooth timber in his voice brushed over the rest of my senses. "Now hold on to the headboard."

I immediately complied.

He positioned himself behind me, his length poised at my entrance. I could feel his heat surrounding me, enveloping me from all sides and yet, it wasn't enough. I wanted more. I wanted him.

"Jake, please!" I begged, without any prompting from him.

"Not yet!" He responded darkly, one of his hands sliding down to play with my wet heat. His other hand reached for my heaving breast and squeezed tight. "Tell me you want me first!"

"You know I do..."

"Say the words!" He commanded harshly, his thumb brushing over my clit repeatedly.

"I want you." I keened loudly, perspiration breaking out all over me.

"Now tell me that you're mine!"

"I-I'm yours. Always. Forever."

His fingers withdrew from my tight sheath with a squelching sound, leaving me bereft. But I'd barely had time to mourn the loss when with a forceful thrust, he sheathed himself deep inside of me.

I moaned in pleasure, feeling more complete in that moment than I ever had before.

For the longest time, he held himself still; as if savoring the feel of being inside of me. But it wasn't enough for me. It was nowhere close to enough. The ache inside me intensified, demanding something more. I squirmed against him, begging him wordlessly for more.

"What Bella? What do you want?" He rasped, his voice sounding like he was on the verge of losing all control.

"Move…" I gasped. "You _have_ to move."

"Like this?" He squirmed around teasingly.

I sobbed in frustration. Why was he doing this to me? What did he want?

"I don't understand Bella." He said, pretending to be confused. "You're going to have to be more specific. What is it exactly that you want me to do?"

Dammit it, if he didn't move I was going to die. To hell with embarrassment! "Fuck me!" I gasped. "Fuck me hard!"

He withdrew himself with excruciating slowness and then rammed himself inside me. "Is _this _what you want, Bella?"

I went wild. "Yes, yes! More. Harder. Please!"

He complied, his thrusts becoming harder, faster, more forceful. His hand dropped back to my clit, massaging it in circles. "Come for me." He commanded, his voice thick with lust.

The combination of sensations sent me spiraling off into another orgasm.

"That's it baby, that's it, once more..." He cajoled, his movements becoming more and more uncoordinated.

"I can't!" I wailed, overwhelmed at the barrage of sensations.

"Yes, you can! And you will!" He sped up even further, his speed bordering on superhuman.

He was really close, I could feel his body tightening with his impending climax. Unbelievably, I could feel my walls beginning to spasm once more.

"Yes baby, come on...You're almost there. Come with me, come on Bells..." He coaxed through gritted teeth. "Now, now, now!" He shouted, as he spurted his seed inside me. That feeling; combined with the slowing thrusts, made my body convulse once more.

I collapsed on the bed as my legs gave out on me. Jake, damn his super powers, was more in control of his limbs. Ever conscious of his size, he eased himself down beside me gently, ensuring that he wasn't crushing me in any way.

"I love you Bella." He whispered again, while laying a soft kiss on my sweat-slicked shoulder. "I will always and forever love only you."

**A/N: - So was it worth all the wait…? I sure hope so. If yes, don't forget to let me know. Remember, reviews equal love people. Show Jake and me some love. **

**We're getting really close to the end guys. According to my calculations there are only about 4 chapters left, including the epilogue. I'm going to try and get it done as soon as I can but I need your continued love and support. You guys have been amazing so far, with your patience and you have no idea how much I appreciate it. Thank you so very much. I definitely couldn't have gone this far without all of you. I'm just hoping and praying that you can keep it going just a little bit longer. **

**Lastly, I want to thank my kickass beta, Erin, who's the world's best beat as well as friend. Thank you so much for your help and support soulmate. We both know I'd have given up a long time ago without you. You keep me honest and call me on my shit and I love you for that. Thanks soulmate. **


	37. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

**Disclaimer: - Don't own the characters, just my imagination. **

**A/N: - I'm not even going to bother giving any excuses. Real life and all that. **

**Anyway, here it is, the next chapter. Now I won't call this chapter a filler chapter exactly, because it does advance the story in the direction it has to go (towards the finale), but at the same time, it is a much shorter chapter than the ones I normally post. Consider it a little bit of a time out for Jake and Bella, in the sense that it finally lets them be just a couple for a while without all the accompanying craziness.**

**After reading the chapter, I hope you guys understand what I mean and why this was needed. And if some of you feel like throwing things at the computer (read: me) then please remember that in the larger scheme of things, this chapter IS important in advancing the story. You'll find out how soon enough. So yeah, just trust me and go with the flow…**

**As always, the chapter is dedicated to my friends Erin and Wendy. **

**BPOV**

Three weeks. I couldn't believe it'd been three weeks since Jake and I had finally got our act together and declared our feelings for each other. It felt like time had just flown by. Being in that first, rosy phase of love might have something to do with that, of course. But it wasn't just that. The tremendous amount of stress we were under had a lot to do with it too. The constant threats, the incessant patrols, the repeated failures to locate and destroy Vladimir were all taking its toll on our behaviors and temperaments.

Right at the beginning, we'd decided to make the best of the situation. Yes, we were still very much in danger and yes, we were stuck at the Cullen property for the indeterminable future, but that didn't have to mean that we had to put our lives on hold.

So Jake and I couldn't go out on dates like a normal, brand-new couple would. And we couldn't have as much privacy as we'd have liked. But we _could_ have dinner together every night. We might not be able to go out and watch a movie or go on long walks on the beach. But the Cullen's had an extensive DVD collection and a state of the art home theater. So we could utilize that to have movie 'dates' without ever leaving the premises and we could go on long walks within the heavily armed and extensively protected property – as long as we had a whole contingent of people following our every move, of course. Sigh.

Was it an ideal situation? No. But it definitely wasn't as bad as it could've been either and considering that this was all being done for my safety, I was the last person who should complain about it.

In a bid to be as normal as possible, I'd taken to making dinner for the pack in the evenings with Alice, Esme and Rosalie pitching in their help as required. That's where I was right now; in the kitchen; making several large batches of meatballs and homemade sauce for the evening meal.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be resting? I'm sure Esme and I can manage for tonight." Alice questioned worriedly.

I sighed exaggeratedly. We'd made some progress on the issue of their over-protectiveness since my big blow-up but clearly; we still had quite a ways to go. "Don't fuss Alice, I told you I'm fine."

"Last time I checked, feeling light-headed and woozy does not fall under the definition of fine."

She did have a point there; I'd been feeling a bit under the weather for the last few days. Nothing serious, just a little tired and sick – a condition Carlisle attributed to the stress of the situation finally catching up to me. The occasional bouts of queasiness I felt had been kept to myself. Last time I checked, nausea wasn't a life threatening condition and there was no way I was encouraging the Cullen's to fuss more than usual. It was probably due to something I ate anyway and would pass in a few days at the most. No matter what it was, I was not going to let such a small thing get in the way of the _one_ thing that I was allowed to do around here.

"I'm not feeling sick right now so whatever the problem was, it seems to have passed."

"Bu…"

"Drop it, please!" I snapped exasperatedly. The last thing I needed was for everyone to get back on the 'Bella needs to rest' bandwagon.

Before she could say anything else, there was a subtle but noticeable shift in the molecules surrounding me. The air grew taut and thick. Heavy almost.

I turned around eagerly, knowing immediately what the shift indicated. After all, it was a change that I'd gotten somewhat used to in the preceding three weeks. It was a change the signified that _he_ was home.

The feeling was almost visceral – like he'd run his hands all over me – even though he was nowhere in my vicinity yet. A trickle of awareness hit me unawares, making my skin tingle and the hair on my body stand on end. It was a giddy, almost dizzying experience. Now I knew how he felt around me, how he perceived my presence. The only difference was; as far as he was concerned, it could be easily argued that the intense awareness was a part and parcel of his enhanced senses. But as for me, there was no such ambiguity involved. It was very clear that the cognizance was a by-product of the mating bond.

I shivered as my body subconsciously reacted to his arrival. It almost felt as if my body went into a dormant state the moment he left and came blazingly alive the moment he came back. It was a strange feeling…disconcerting in so many ways.

The awareness spiked. He was here!

I turned around and sure enough, he was there, standing at the kitchen door, staring at me inscrutably.

"Jake, you're home!" I exclaimed breathlessly.

No response except for the tightening of his facial muscles.

I grew suddenly uncomfortable. (Even after being in a relationship with him for the past three and a half weeks, I was nowhere near used to the way he looked at me. I had a feeling I never would be.)

"What?" I asked him self-consciously. Was there something wrong? Did I have a smudge on my face or something?

"You busy?" He questioned, almost laconically.

"Uh…I'm making dinner." I answered confusedly.

"So, no then."

What was going on? Why did he sound so abrupt, so short? Was something the matter?

And then I saw the look in his eyes. Blazing. Penetrating. My breath caught in my throat. Flustered, I turned away in an effort to escape the intensity in his eyes. (Not that there was anything wrong with the way he was looking at me. It was just that I knew this look…was intensely familiar with it. It was a look I'd seen plenty of times in the last three weeks. It was a look that told me that I _was_ dinner. It was a look that made me feel weak-kneed and short of breath all at the same time.)

While I was busy trying to get my heart rate under control he walked up behind me, his hot breath skittering over the shell of my ear, causing a resulting heat to bloom in the pit of my stomach. His mouth closed over my earlobe, his teeth biting gently into the fleshy material and my legs gave out from under me in a quick rush of need.

Jesus... how did he manage to do this to me, reduce me to this state with just a few words and a couple of well-placed kisses?

He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of my arousal. "How long?" He questioned gutturally.

"Huh?" What were we talking about? I'd totally lost track of the conversation.

"How long until dinner is ready?" He repeated insistently.

"Umm, ab…about half an hour…" I breathed.

"That'll do." He declared. Before I could begin to make sense of that statement, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. "We'll be right back…" He muttered to our audience at large, molding my bottom possessively with the palm of his hand. "Rose, Alice, Esme I trust that you won't mind finishing the rest of the meal by yourselves…?" It wasn't a request. It was pretty much an order.

"Jake…!" I exclaimed, more than a little shocked by his behavior.

Without saying a word or acknowledging my protest in any other way he purposefully walked into the first available empty bedroom (which just happened to be a guest room, thank God) and dumped me on the bed hard enough that I bounced on the mattress a couple of times.

"Jake what…?" I began to ask only to stop abruptly. The naked longing in his eyes was enough to tell me what was going on. There was passion there, no doubt. But beyond the frantic yearning was an intense frustration; a barely concealed desperation and a desire to possess that eclipsed everything else. He wanted me…_needed_ me. (How could I say no to such naked longing? How could I deny him the one thing that he so obviously needed, especially when I needed it too? The answer was simple. I couldn't.) But even more than that, I could see that he needed to forget. It was as simple and as straightforward as that. And without even knowing the circumstance, I vowed right then and there, that I'd do everything in my power to dispel that shadow in his eyes.

I watched in mesmerized fascination, as he slowly stripped his shirt over his head causing his beautiful muscles to ripple sinuously. His skin gleamed like burnished gold in the soft light. My heart skipped a beat.

The look in his eyes spoke of all the wild, wicked things he wanted to do to me all night long. My insides turned to mush. Dear God, the more time I spent with this man, the more it became clear to me that I would never, ever get enough of him. As long as I lived and breathed, I would always want him with the same intensity, the same raw desperation. My love, my need for Edward had been nothing but a pale imitation of this… this _need_. Idly I wondered how I could've been stupid enough to miss it the first time around. (I must've really been blind when I was a teenager. The sheer fact that I missed…this…was proof enough of that.)

Without taking his eyes off me, he kicked off his boots and stepped out of his pants. And then, he was standing before me in all his naked glory. My breath caught in my throat. He was every inch the animal – sleek, predatory, graceful. He was sheer, utter perfection; so beautiful that looking at him actually hurt the eyes. And he was all mine.

Frenzied need slammed into me; the need to touch him, the need to taste him. I joined him in stripping off my clothes while simultaneously scrambling back over the bed. I found that I was desperately anxious to possess him, to devour him, to lay claim to him.

"Hurry…" I urged breathlessly. "Need you…" I didn't mind that he could clearly hear the naked longing in my voice. I figured that after everything I'd put him through, I at least owed him that honesty.

The next thing I knew, I was lying flat on the bed with his naked body looming over me. (There was something to be said for the super speed after all.) But this time around, I had something else in mind. He was always the one in charge; the one who initiated and dominated each encounter. This time, I wanted to be the one kissing him, touching him… the one driving him crazy.

Using every bit of wile I possessed, I urged him around until he was flat on his back and I was straddling his hips. "Nuh uh!" I whispered, swatting his hands away when he reached for me. "My turn!"

He smirked sinfully, lying back on the bed with his arms folded behind his head. His posture just screamed with lazy sensuality. And the look in his eyes seemed to say, 'Bring it on, sweetheart…'

Was that a challenge? Sure seemed like one to me. What, he didn't think I could handle this, handle him? Well I'd just have to show him otherwise now, wouldn't I? There was no way in hell I was going to back down. I swore to myself that by the time I was done with him, he would lose all that smug confidence and beg for more.

With a single-minded concentration, I molded his chest with both my hands, thoroughly and lovingly. All that raw, unadulterated power encased by smooth, sanity skin – his body was a work of art created lovingly by the Gods.

I ran my hands down his sides, over his arms – mapping every inch of his body. My eyes meanwhile, were focused on him as he stared at me unblinkingly; his face tight with lust, his eyes narrowed in challenge. They did wild things to me, his eyes. It felt as if they held all the secrets to the universe in them.

I was determined to drive him as crazy, as insane as he drove me. With that in mind, I leaned down and ran my tongue down the crook of his neck; from his ear right down to his shoulder. I knew how much he adored that. (I figured it had something to do with being a wolf… something about that spot being kissed by his mate seemed to call to all of his animal instincts.)

He squirmed around restlessly; undeniably turned on; and yet trying his best to pretend otherwise. So it was going to be that way, was it? Well, we'd see about that…

I couldn't help but give him a cocky grin before running the flat of my tongue over his nipple. His answering groan as well as the way he clutched my hair convulsively made me tingle all over. God, I loved having such power over this magnificent man. He was so formidable, so in command most of the times that the rare moments when he allowed me to be in control were precious in comparison.

I took my time, lavishing my attention to his chest before slowly making my way downward. I licked each and every ridge and dip of his toned, muscular abs, swirled my tongue in his belly button and leisurely followed the trail of hair leading down to his straining erection.

Once there I slowed down, taking my time to admire the view. There was an undeniable beauty in the way he laid there, pulsing with need for me. He took my breath away. For a long moment, I could do nothing but stare at him greedily.

It was only after he let out a harsh, shuddering breath that I seemed to come out of my trance. Shakily, I reached for him. My hand closed around his length, squeezing him gently. He hardened even further, throbbing into my palm. I wanted to lick every inch of him… take him so deep into me that we would be fused into one being. I wanted to drive him to the very brink of insanity with my mouth, my lips.

Some of my naked longing must've communicated itself on my face because his body suddenly went rock hard and rigid beneath my hands. "Bella…" He warned desperately.

"What?" I asked as innocently as I could.

"Don't…"

Yeah, right! Like I was going to stop now.

I made a point of glancing up at him from beneath lowered lashes just as I bent down and laved my tongue over his swollen tip, licking off the pearl of moisture beaded on the top.

"Holy Fu..._Bells!_" He groaned hoarsely, his entire body taut with yearning.

The raw heat in his voice sent my own need ratcheting. My answering moan was raw with hunger. God, he tasted so good! I needed more. I needed all of him!

Fueling the sudden bout of urgency, I closed my mouth around his length, savoring the feel of him pulsing hotly on my tongue. His breathing became heavier, his body shuddering from the intense pleasure. The fact that I could reduce this man to such a state so quickly, made me feel incredibly powerful and yet at the same time, inexplicably turned on. I just couldn't get enough of him. I felt like I wanted to swallow him whole.

As my lips moved back and forth on him, sucking hard, one of his hands tangled up in my hair guiding me gently. His other hand came up to my breast; tugging and pinching on my nipple making me squirm around frantically. My insides felt swollen and moist – craving his possession, craving him. Sensing my desire, he reached for the juncture of my thighs and thrust his fingers into me. I whimpered, savoring the fullness inside me.

"Fuck, you're so wet honey…" Jake ground out harshly. His eyes were unfocused, filled with a primal desire. I continued to suck harder and faster on his length, trying to push him over the edge. "Bella stop!" He grunted insistently. "I need to be inside you!" I could see his muscles straining and bunching with the effort it took to keep himself in check.

Operating solely on instinct, I decided to ignore his words. I didn't _want_ to stop. I wanted to keep doing what I was doing. I wanted to go on till he came undone; until he came apart in my mouth. I wanted to taste all of him.

With that in mind I sped up my actions, taking in as much as his length as I could manage to fit in my mouth while pumping the rest with my hand. That seemed to do it. He made a strangled sound deep within his throat and bucked upwards uncontrollably. A muffled groan followed as he spurted his essence inside my mouth. I swallowed around him, relishing his taste and the power high I was experiencing.

The whole experience seemed to go on forever, but in reality it was no more than a couple of minutes long. Finally exhausted, completely spent he lay back on the bed with his eyes shut, a smile playing around the edges of his lips.

"Did I do okay?" I questioned hesitantly, more than a little nervous about my technique.

"Okay…?" He sounded incredulous. "Holy fuck, that was… Holy _fuck!_" Pleased, I snuggled in next to him, reveling in the fact that I'd rendered Jacob Black speechless.

I found that I couldn't stop touching him, despite all the activities we'd just indulged in. Then again, it wasn't that much of a surprise. After all, doing that to him had turned on me immensely. My body was on fire, feeling bereft and oddly unsatisfied. I needed something. I needed him. Inside me.

Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He'd just climaxed a few minutes earlier. And biology dictated that it was going to take him a long time to recover.

Oh well, no point in crying over spilled milk. I'd gotten what I wanted. I'd set out to drive my boyfriend over the edge and I'd succeeded. Spectacularly. A little frustration was so worth that.

I made to get up, wanting to go to the bathroom to restore my appearance to some semblance of normalcy so that I would be better equipped to face the mischievous comments and remarks I was bound to face as soon as I got out of the room. But before I could so much as move a couple of inches, Jacob had flipped me over effortlessly and in one smooth motion, impaled his newly hardened length inside my sheath. I gasped, stunned. What the…? So soon? How?

He grinned wickedly, accurately reading the stunned disbelief on my face. "Werewolf stamina. Don't you just love it?" He drawled sensually.

Oh God. He was… I was… Oh thank God, I thought incoherently.

"Now where were we? Oh yes, right here." And he thrust even deeper inside me. We both groaned simultaneously, stunned by the sheer pleasure intensifying throughout our bodies.

He set a rough, fast pace, his hardened length driving in and out out of me urgently. I held on to him helplessly, unable to do much more than just react to the volatile sensations he invoked within me.

"I love watching you come." He gritted out harshly, his eyes glittering with heat. "I love seeing your eyes cloud over with pleasure. But even more than that, I love _feeling_ you come all around me. The way your muscles just clench around my cock, God, Bells, I'll never get used to that feeling. Ever."

Holy mother of God. Just hearing him say such things drove me crazy. He was like an animal in bed; sleek, raw, powerful and utterly male.

"Look at me!" He commanded me urgently, just as my eyes fell shut with the pleasure. "I want to see you come…"

I struggled to do as he asked as the pressure inside me wound into a tighter coil. My cries got louder, my movements more frenetic. And all the while he watched me, gauging my reaction to his every move. The instant he sensed my impending release, he began pounding into me even harder. "That's it honey… just let go."

I obeyed him blindly; screaming out loud as the pressure inside me finally exploded. I clung onto him, shaking and shuddering as I rode out my orgasm. He was not far behind, pumping his seed into me while shouting out my name in pleasure.

After we both finally came down from the high, I turned around to face him. "So what was _that_ all about?" I questioned him casually. (Not that I was complaining or anything. Far from it. I enjoyed all our little encounters tremendously – and today's session had been a particularly satisfying one. But I _was_ kinda curious about the caveman routine he'd pulled and couldn't help wondering what had brought that on.)

"I just needed you so badly…" He explained.

"Is everything alright?" I questioned hesitantly, expecting the worst.

"Oh yes, just peachy!" He retorted sounding frustrated.

"Jake…?" Now I was even more worried.

He sighed gustily. "Honestly Bells, nothing's wrong, at least not on the Vladimir front. No new developments there, I swear."

"Then what is it?"

"I just _hate_ leaving you with the leeches!" He blurted out suddenly.

"Jake!" I reprimanded him gently.

Not that I could fault his feelings. Jacob had always hated the thought of me spending any amount of time with the Cullen's. (And the Cullen's wholeheartedly echoed the feeling as far as the wolves were concerned.) Both parties may have come a long way since the time they'd first met but it was abundantly clear that neither side trusted the other completely yet. And it was more than likely, that they never would.

But the mating with Jacob had taken an already bad situation and just made it worse. Now he literally had to force himself to leave the house, knowing as he did so, that I would be left alone with his mortal enemies for an extended amount of time. And every time he returned, he'd be restless, unsettled and edgy. No matter how repeatedly I assured him that I was completely safe, it still made no difference. (And that led to days like today, when the only thing that worked to make him feel better was hours and hours of sex. After some thought, I'd come to the conclusion that it was the wolf's way of showing dominance, of reasserting his claim over his mate.)

"You know I love you, right?" I questioned softly.

"I know. I love you too." He assured me immediately. "It's just… its instinct, I guess." He went on. "They're my mortal enemies, I'm wired to hate their guts! And besides, I still don't trust Edward, not completely. He hasn't given up on you, not by a long shot."

"It doesn't matter Jake! If he wants to make himself miserable waiting for something that's never going to happen, that's his problem." I stated emphatically. "All I know is that I'm never going back to him, no matter what! And hey, not that I'm complaining about what just went on or anything, but you need to be able to leave me alone for more than an hour or two without losing your mind over it, right? We can't move out of this place until we defeat Vladimir and until then, you just have to learn to be okay with this because we just can't have sex every time you have to leave me behind with any of the Cullen's."

"Why not?" He smirked at me playfully while pushing me back on the bed. "I think it's a great idea, don't you?"

And that was the last thing either of us said for a very long time.

* * *

Catcalls and wolf whistles greeted us as soon as we entered the living room. "Way to go big guy!" Paul called out, his voice dripping with innuendo.

"Way to go, _Jake_?" Quil interjected slyly, his eyes glittering with mischief. "Way to go _Bella!_ I don't know about you, but it sure sounded to me like she just gave our mighty alpha the ride of his life!"

Embry and Jared burst out into loud guffaws as Quil made a lewd gesture depicting some of our activities.

"Shut up Quil!" Jake called out calmly, completely unaffected by the pack's usual antics. I, on the other hand…? I was pretty sure I was putting a fully ripe hothouse tomato to shame.

"Damn Izzy! I don't have the super hearing that these guys have but even 'I' could hear that!" Dylan added lasciviously.

Oh my God! Even Lisa, who was usually non intrusive and reticent was smirking mischievously. Just how loud _were_ we?

Waves of embarrassment crested over me, but the feeling was overshadowed by the lingering lassitude. Besides, it wasn't as if this was something new. In the short time that Jake and I had been together, our ardor for each other had just grown in magnitude. It was almost as if we were physically incapable of keeping our hands off each other. We'd been accused outright of behaving like teenagers (by Edward, most of the time) because we were making out at every opportunity. We'd been caught in compromising positions a few times and yet, it was difficult to care, especially since we didn't need to sneak around. Being grown adults, we could indulge our cravings for each other as often as we liked. And we did.

Speaking of Edward, I felt bad that I was essentially flaunting my new relationship in his face (I could only imagine how much it hurt him to see us so close and happy) – and I tried to restrict the level of PDA in front of him as much as I could – but it wasn't always possible to do so. And this time around, I had my priorities right. I'd hurt Jake plenty of times in the past. I wasn't about to make the same mistake again by spurning his advances just to make sure Edward's delicate sensibilities weren't hurt. Besides, it wasn't as if Edward and I had just split up. We'd been over for a long, long time. It wasn't my fault that he'd refused to accept that fact for all these years.

And that might make me seem like a bitch but it was damn difficult to let much of anything bother me – not when I was this happy. Almost gloriously so. I was finally with the man I loved, a man that I now knew I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. And what was more, he felt the exact same way about me.

Hell, even the fact that our respective fathers were privy to our frequent displays of affection didn't faze me as much as it would have a couple of weeks ago. (Sure, it was embarrassing, but hey, it wasn't like we had much scope of being discreet what with being stuck together in such close quarters for such a long time.) I was just grateful for the fact that neither my father nor Jake's had the super senses required to hear any of our encounters and that none of them were in the room right now!

In fact, the only thing marring our sense of happiness was the shadow of Vladimir's threat hanging over our heads. In the last few weeks, the attacks on innocent civilians had waned. Vladimir and his crew had gone into hiding. Everything was quiet. Almost too quiet. None of us deluded ourselves into thinking that he was gone for good. There was no way he'd give up, not when he'd made it clear that he would do anything to possess me. I couldn't help the disquieting feeling that I was living on borrowed time. This silence was just the calm before the storm. He was planning something. Something big. We just didn't know what. And that was the scariest, most frustrating part of all.

Jake tried to reassure me constantly by saying that he would never let anything happen to me, and I believed him, to an extent. Not that I didn't trust him. I did. Hell, I knew that he would go to great lengths to protect me but at the same time I knew how obsessed Vladimir was. I'd seen his determination first hand; experienced the extent of his madness. He'd waited for me for over three _thousand_ years; believing all the while that I was the only person in the world who could give him everything he'd ever wanted or desired. I knew that he'd do just about anything to make that happen. He would willingly sacrifice anything, anybody to get what he wanted – me. There were no limits to what he was capable of, no boundaries to his cruelty. And I couldn't help but think that there was very little we could do against such recklessness.

The pack had kept up the heavy patrol schedule; more often than not joined by the Cullen's. Despite repeated failures to locate Vladimir's new hidey-hole, I knew they were just hoping to get lucky one day. Most of Jake's security forces had taken up residence at the Cullen property, providing additional security. Lisa had taken to performing locator spells, trying to find Vladimir's location and barring that, at least his witch's. But so far, all of our efforts had yielded a big, fat nothing. It was almost as if Vladimir and his goons had disappeared off the face of the earth.

All of this sitting around, waiting for things to happen was killing everyone, especially Jake. He was a doer; patience had never beenhis strong suit. (And besides the more time passed, the more likely it was that Vladimir's forces would have a chance to recover from the debilitating blow that Jake had dealt them in their last encounter.) But despite the short tempers and the abounding levels of frustration of the wolves and the vampires, it wasn't like there was much any of them could do about the situation anyway. All they could do was keep their cool, train and patrol and hope for the best.

"Hey Em," Quil questioned loudly, interrupting my train of thought. "What makes our mighty alpha howl?"

A burst of raucous laughter followed the question, making me blush furiously. Logically I knew that Jake and I had just provided a much-needed distraction to all of these guys with our bedroom antics; something to take their mind of the frustration of the last couple of weeks; but that didn't make the teasing easier to bear.

"Quil!" Jake admonished instantly. "I thought I asked you to stop."

His reprimand didn't have quite the effect he'd hoped. The ribbing just continued unabashedly, Embry adding in his two cents worth on the subject of our extracurricular 'activities'. Just as I was in danger of melting into a puddle of shame on the floor, Seth staggered in through the door – pale, sweating, his body trembling from exhaustion.

That was all it took for the mood in the room to change. Everyone snapped to attention, shrugging off the levity of a few minutes ago. "What?" Jake snapped impatiently.

"The leeches got on to the reservation." Seth panted.

What? Dear God, how?

Even as I was grappling with disbelief, the pack members were snapping to attention, their bodies vibrating uncontrollably. "Leah and Sam are holding the fort along with Colin and Brady. She's the one who sent me to get reinforcements."

"Any casualties?" Jake questioned tersely, even as he stripped off his shirt in preparation of phasing.

"None that we came across."

"Good, that's good." He turned to me, his expression grave. "Bells, I have to…"

"Go…" I urged him, no doubt in my mind that the reservation was where he needed to be.

He gave me a quick kiss before turning around to the rest of the pack members. "Paul, Jared, you guys are with me. Seth, Embry and Quil, I'm leaving you here with Bella. " Menace and authority exuded out of his very pores. "All three of you will phase in turns so that I can stay in the loop. If anything goes wrong here, just lock the place down and sit tight. We'll be back as soon as we can. No matter what happens, don't leave Bella's side. That's an order!"

"Wait up mutt!" Emmett called out just as Jake was getting ready to head out. "You're going to need some help and I, for one, don't seem to have anything to do at the moment."

"Neither do I!" Rose piped in.

Jake was already shaking his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather all of you stay here with Bella."

"Jake, no!" I exclaimed heatedly. "Take them. I have enough people here to look after me. Besides, this house is as safe as a bomb shelter! Nobody's going to get in here and I'm certainly not going out! _You're_ the one out in the open, facing those monsters. You're the one who'll be in danger! Please, you need all the help you can get."

After some argument, it was decided that Emmett, Rose and Alice would head out with the pack while the rest of the Cullens would stay back on guard duty along with Quil, Seth and Embry.

Before he stepped out of the house, Jake threw a terse glance at Edward. "I'm counting on you to keep her safe. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you personally responsible!"

"Nothing will happen to Bella. I swear it on my existence." Edward vowed solemnly.

They exchanged a grim look and a quick nod as if to seal some unspoken pact between them. One bittersweet smile in my direction and Jake was gone, leaving behind a deafening silence that threatened to swallow me whole.

I sunk down on the floor, my mind blank with shock. No matter how hard I tried, it was difficult to deny the truth. This was all my fault. All of it. All the danger, all the chaos… just because some depraved madman wanted me. Dear God, I hoped and prayed that all the innocent people in La Push were safe. Even more than that, I prayed for all my friends out there, facing the danger. I prayed for Jake.

The next few hours seemed to pass by in a blur of fear and impatience as we waited for some news. Embry, Quil and Seth; who were phasing in turns like Jake had asked them to; kept reassuring us that none of wolves were hurt but refused to fill us in on any of the other details. That in itself was cause for worry. I was frantic, unable to eat, sleep or even breathe normally until the guys came back. The only thing that kept me from losing my mind completely was the knowledge that Jake was safe. (I knew for a fact that none of the three wolves present here would've been able to maintain their cool if that was not the case.)

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Seth declared that Jake and the pack were headed back. That news brought on a flurry of activity, as Carlisle got ready to treat any injuries the pack members might have sustained. I tried to help as much as I could, but ultimately came to the realization that I was only getting in the way. Feeling totally useless, I stood back and let Carlisle and Edward make all the arrangements.

And then, they were back. Banged and bruised – but whole nonetheless.

Overjoyed, trembling from head to toe, I threw myself into Jake's arms. His arms closed around me tightly and I felt myself being lifted off the ground into a crushing hug. "You're okay. You're safe…" I babbled while peppering his face with kisses.

"I'm fine honey. Nothing to worry about…" He reassured me softly.

Something about the tone of his voice had alarm bells going off inside my head. "What's the matter? What's wrong? Was anyone hurt?"

"No, no injuries, fortunately." He answered grimly. "But the bastards destroyed a lot of property. Burned down a lot of homes, destroyed the tribal center."

Oh God. My fault, my fault, my fault. Dread overwhelmed me; a sixth sense that was telling me that there was more to this situation than he was letting on. "That's not all, is it?"

He sighed sorrowfully. "They burned down Charlie's house, Bells. I'm so sorry honey, we tried to get there as soon as we could, but we were too late."

I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn't have heard him right. Charlie's house – _my_ house – gone? All the memories of a life built painstakingly just over in a puff of smoke…? No. No! This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream! Feeling more than a little queasy, I sank down to the couch.

Charlie didn't have a home anymore. _I_ didn't have a home. Where were we going to go once this mess was over? Where were we going to live? And speaking of Charlie; God he was going to be devastated!

"Bells, you okay?" Jake squatted down in front of me, his voice full of concern. "You don't look so good…"

Before I could even begin to respond, the phone line in the house rang shrilly, sounding too loud in the pervasive silence surrounding us.

"Hello?" Edward answered, his voice coming across as grim and curt. Whoever was on the other end of the line; whatever was being said; it wasn't received well. All around me, a palpable tension enveloped everyone. "What? When?" Edward exclaimed agitatedly.

Edward didn't get agitated. Not unless something was really, really wrong. The fact that he was clearly did not bode well. Oh God, what now? "What's going on?" I questioned worriedly.

No one answered. Instead, Jake moved closer, gripping my hand tightly. Everyone's attention seemed to be focused on the phone call and whatever was being said.

"When did this happen?" Was Edward's next question, followed immediately by, "And how are they now?" A few moments of terse silence followed, during which everyone in the room seemed to be going to extreme lengths to avoid my gaze. Then Edward abruptly ended the conversation with, "That's fine. Yes, I'll let her know. You'll keep us updated on their condition, right?"

Was _I_ the 'her' in the conversation? If so, what was he supposed to tell me? And whose condition were they talking about? I tried asking once again. "Jake, what's going on?"

Once again, I got no answer. As he hung up the phone, Edward's gaze cut to Jake's. Something passed between them, an unspoken communication. In unison, they both turned to me.

That was it. That was the end of my rope. "Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" I yelled shrilly.

It was Jake who spoke up. "Bells, that was one of Renee's neighbors from Florida. Apparently Renee and Phil were just in an accident. They've both been taken to the hospital."

A roaring sound filled my ears, overwhelming all my senses. My stomach twisted sharply, threatening to dislodge the entire contents of my stomach right there on the Cullen's expensive Persian rug. I was cold and clammy, right down to my very toes. I closed my eyes, trembling violently.

But that action just succeeded in making things worse. Renee's smiling face filled my vision, the way she'd been the last time I saw her. She might've been flighty, but she was still my mom. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it. Or Phil for that matter… He was no Charlie, but he was… Phil. Happy, cheerful Phil.

"Excuse me…" I blurted out, making a beeline towards the bathroom where I proceeded to get violently sick.

**A/N: - Well there you have it. The proverbial shit's about to hit the fan and the clean up's gonna be a long and messy process. Hope all of you are prepared for the last few chapters cuz they're gonna be crazy! Anyway, please review and let me know what you think!**

**Finally, many thanks to my soulmate and beta Erin, without whose help and support, this chapter would not have been possible. You're the bestest, soulmate. Thank you for keeping me honest and focused. I owe you one!**


	38. Chapter 34

**Important A/N**

Dear Readers,

I know its been a long time since the last update and a lot of you have been sending me PM's regarding when the next update. I just wanted to take the time to inform all of you that regrettably it might be a little while before the next chapter is up.

I'm expecting my first child any moment now and the last few months have been rather hectic, what with all the preparations involved. I also don't think I'll be able to concentrate on anything else, especially writing, for some time after the baby is here unfortunately. So, very reluctantly, I'm going to have to put this story on hiatus, at least until I get a handle on being a mommy.

I know a lot of you have been REALLY patient with me as far as the sporadic updates and I really, TRULY hate doing this to all of you. I can say that there are only a few chapters left in the story and that the immediate next chapter is written already…just in need of a lot of revisions. So, hopefully, once life gets back on track a little, it shouldn't take too much time to have it up.

Hope all of you don't give up on the story and me completely. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. I promise you I won't let you down.

Thanks,

Crazily-Addicted.


	39. Chapter 35

**Chapter 34**

**Disclaimer: - None of the characters are mine. Except Vladimir of course! And if anyone has a problem with me playing around with the pack, I'll sic him on you, so back the hell off! **

**A/N: - I'm so so soooooo sorry for the extended hiatus. I didn't mean to disappear off the face of the Earth, I swear. But man, who knew kids were soooooooo much work?**

**To those of you who didn't know, I had my first baby about 10 months ago. Just to bring you to speed it's a boy and he's perfect. Perfectly bratty, that is! LOL! I mean, really, how can someone THIS tiny need sooooooo much time and attention?! It's insane!**

**But yeah, despite being run ragged by a ten month old, I have somehow managed to squeeze in time to finish this chapter for you guys. At long last! Whew! So, sorry once again and thanks a ton for your patience and continued interest in the story! I have the best readers out there and I'm soooooo grateful for it!**

**Before we jump right into the chapter I'd like to give a quick (but massive) shout-out to my soulmate and partner in crime Erin without whose help this chapter would not have been possible! She's the one who poked and prodded me until I had to give in to her evil demands and write this chapter! ;) Thanks soulmate, you're the best! **

**JPOV**

The instant Bella was out of the room, I turned on Carlisle. "What the hell is wrong with her? This is the second week in a row that she's been feeling sick and you fucking know it! And don't tell me its stress! That's fucking bullshit!"

"Easy Jake, easy…" Leah cautioned softly.

Coming back to my senses, I realized that I had my hands bunched in the doctor's lapels and was shaking him violently in my quest for answers. What the…?

I let him go and stepped back; shakily running my fingers through my hair repeatedly. "Sorry, I'm sorry. Don't know what came over me…"

"It's okay Jacob. Your worry for Bella is understandable." Carlisle soothed reassuringly.

The fact that he was the one consoling me was fucking priceless! Bloody saints, the lot of them!

"So doc, what's wrong with her?" I reiterated in a much calmer tone of voice.

Carlisle's cautious expression was enough to raise my hackles immediately. I didn't need to be a body language expert to know that he was extremely reluctant to discuss this topic with me. Well, too bad. His reluctance just made me that much more determined to get to the bottom of the issue. "I'm waiting Doc…" I urged.

After what seemed like eternity, he answered unenthusiastically. "I'm not exactly sure yet. I ran a new test today and we should know the results soon."

Fuck! So something was wrong! I knew it! Tendrils of dread ran up and down my spine. "But you _must _suspect something…" I prodded desperately.

"I do. But I don't want to complicate the issue by making wild guesses at this point of time. And frankly, I'm not sure I should be discussing this issue with you first anyway. I think Bella needs to be informed first. After that, whatever happens, it's her choice. So, let's just wait for the test results, shall we?"

Not sure I should be informed first? Bella needs to be told first…? I heard the words as if they were coming from a great distance. A strange sort of lethargy seemed to have invaded my limbs, making it difficult to stay on my feet. I felt nothing; no anxiety, no fear. I was numb.

"Is it just me or has anybody else noticed that Bella smells different...?" Seth piped in cautiously.

"She's been smelling different since the night you marked her!" Edward accused in a strained voice.

Holy shit! She did! She smelled different. _Good_ different – but different nonetheless. How had I not noticed this earlier? Granted things had been bat shit crazy lately but still…this was _Bella_ we were talking about!

Dear God, I didn't know what I'd do if something was seriously wrong with her. All I knew was that I'd move heaven and earth to make sure she recovered from her illness, whatever it was.

Seeing my stark expression, Carlisle's face softened with understanding. "If what I suspect is true, then your apprehension is unwarranted, Jacob." He relented. "Just please, try not to worry."

"Try not to worry?!" I scoffed. "You know that's easier said than done, Doc!"

"I know," he agreed sympathetically. "Well, while we're waiting for the test results, how about I call up the hospital where they've taken Renee and Phil and find out what I can about their conditions? That should take your mind off your current worries and also help put Bella's mind at ease."

I gave him a strained smile. "Thanks doc." I appreciated the effort he was putting in, I really did. But the stress of the situation and the worry over Bella were taking its toll.

"Not at all." He responded in his usual formal manner. "It will just take me a few minutes to get in touch with the person in charge."

All of us stood by in painful silence as the good doctor placed his call and was connected to the doctor in charge of treating Bella's mom and stepdad. For once, my supernatural senses proved to be useless because frankly, I couldn't make heads or tails of the medical jargon being exchanged. Finally, after what felt like forever, Carlisle hung up the phone and turned around to face us; the grim look on his face boding ill for the situation at hand. My stomach sank in dread as I waited for what I suspected was the worst.

"Well, there's some good news and there's some bad news. The good news is that they're both currently stable and hanging on." Carlisle explained. "The bad news is that Phil has some head trauma and is in a coma right now and Renee has severe internal bleeding. They're operating on Renee even as we speak. As far as Phil goes, we just have to wait for him to wake up, but they do expect him to wake up. Neither of them is in any immediate danger; like I pointed out, they're both stable; but they're going to have a long recovery in front of them."

God dammit! God _dammit_! How had it come to this? How had we let things get so far? How had _I _let things get so far? God, I should've killed Vladimir while I still had the chance! And barring that, we should've found his lair and destroyed him weeks ago. Instead, we'd failed and in our failure allowed him to regroup. Result…? Charlie and Bells didn't have a home anymore. A lot of people on the Rez didn't have homes anymore.

And though we didn't have any direct proof that that dick had caused Renee and Phil's accident, it was too much of a coincidence that the incident had taken place on the exact same day as the rest of the shit. And the one thing I'd learned from this supernatural gig was that there was no such thing as coincidences. So hell yeah, that bastard Vladimir was somehow responsible for Bella's mom getting hurt. I was willing to bet my life on that. And it was all my goddamn fault!

Now on top of being sick, there was just one more thing for Bella to worry about – her Mom's health. This entire situation could've; should've; been avoided. I'd failed her. I'd failed my people.

Almost as if she could sense my thoughts, Leah walked up to me and squeezed my shoulder. "It's not your fault, Jake. You did everything you could to find him. Besides, right now, blaming someone isn't even the most important thing. It's more important to comfort Bella. She's been going through a lot. She needs you. Don't let your anger get in the way of that…"

Of course Bella was the big picture. And of course she was what was most important. I couldn't believe I'd almost forgotten about that. I couldn't believe I'd been so immersed in my loathing and self-hatred that I hadn't paid any attention to what she was going through. But most of all, I couldn't believe that I'd needed Leah to remind me of that fact. I was so ashamed of myself… of my behavior.

But before I could make my way to the bathroom to check up on Bella, all the lights in the room suddenly blinked off, as if the main switch had been tripped. A trickle of unease slithered down my spine. Something felt off. Horribly off. The sudden darkness was oppressive, overwhelming. And it wasn't just me. I could sense a growing sense of disquiet in the room; not just among the pack, but among the leeches too.

"What the hell…?" Jared vocalized the sentiment that was on everyone's mind.

Instinctively I moved around the room, checking all the doors and windows. Locked – just the way they were supposed to be. Then where had this sudden fear come from? It was just a little darkness and I'd never been afraid of the dark, not when I was a child. And yet, the feeling of terror was unmistakable.

"Hey Eddie, make yourself useful and turn on the lights, why don't you?" Embry called out in the silence.

"I am _not_ your servant!" Cullen growled threateningly in response, but moved to comply with the demand nonetheless. One by one, he flicked on all the switches in the room a couple of times. Nothing happened, not even a small flicker. The sense of unease grew. "Maybe it's the fuse box?" Edward questioned, his voice reflecting the same sense of foreboding that threatened to overwhelm me.

What in God's name was going on?

"No shit Sherlock!" Paul scoffed, trying for his usual bravado. "Don't worry Jake. Quil and I'll go check it out. I doubt if the leech has ever had to get his lily white hands sullied with such small, menial tasks…"

That's all it took for Edward's anxiety to turn into rage. "Watch your mouth, mongrel!" He snarled with barely repressed violence. "Don't try my patience."

"Or what…?" Paul taunted in response.

"Just get the fucking lights on!" I called out as I stalked off angrily. Un-fucking-believable. Things were going to hell in a hand basket; Bella was sick, Vladimir was still out there and we were nowhere close to rising above our mutual hatred and petty arguments. "I'm going to go check on Bella!"

Thankfully Bella was fine although she said that she needed to lie down a while to get rid of the dizziness. I offered to wait for her but she asked me to go on.

As soon as I re-entered the living room Paul cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Sorry Jake." He called out in an apologetic tone.

I sighed. "I know this truce isn't easy for any of us, but we're in this together, for better or worse. Things have to change for us to have any chance of defeating that prick. We _have_ to get our priorities straight and learn to get along with each other. Or he's won, before the battle's even begun."

Before anyone had a chance to respond a sudden, high-pitched wail sounded in the distance, startling all of us. "What the fuck…?" I gasped, managing to speak through the sudden terror threatening to choke me. It went on and on – a sound filled with horror and death. It grated on my nerves; scraped at them until they were raw and aching. I wanted to run away from the sound. I wanted to hide. I wanted to claw my ears out until I stopped hearing it.

Through the horror surrounding me, I could see that all my friends, my brothers were also similarly affected by the sound. Even the leeches seemed terrified. Whatever this was, it was unnatural… inhuman.

Then, just as suddenly as the wail sounded, it stopped. A haze descended around us, seeping into the room like smoke. A thick, syrupy malevolence percolated the air. Something was wrong here – awfully, horribly wrong. I had to get Bella out of here. I had to get my brothers out. Right now. Right fucking now.

Before I could even begin to act on my impulse, the haze parted and Vladimir materialized before us.

For a brief instant, we were all shocked senseless, stunned into immobility. What the…? How had he bypassed all of our security, sneaked past all of our defenses? I could maybe imagine him fooling one of us, but all of us…? No way in hell.

Then the numbness wore off and a blind panic threatened to overwhelm me. This wasn't happening. He couldn't be here. He was too close to Bella – too fucking close. And goddammit, I'd die before I allowed him to ever lay a hand on her again. He'd done enough. He was not getting anywhere near her. And no way would I allow him to hurt her again the way he did last time. No. I had to stop him. I had to _kill_ him. Right fucking now.

I flew into action, phasing on the fly as I threw myself at him full force. I was determined that this time around he wasn't getting away from me, no matter what. This time around, I'd kill the prick, even if it was the very last thing I did.

All around me I could sense my brothers phasing, prepared to back me up in the upcoming fight. The leeches eased closer too, for once willing to take the backseat to us, especially if it meant destroying the fucker.

I sensed all this peripherally; my entire being focused on locking my jaws around the fuckers throat and ripping his head off. Fixated as I was on the upcoming fight, it took me longer to realize that something was wrong than it would have under ordinary circumstances. It was only when I flew right through Vladimir's body instead of colliding with it like I should have, that I realized that his presence here was an illusion, a projection. It was like passing through a wisp of smoke – he was there, and yet, he was intangible. But by then, it was too late to control my momentum. I sailed right through him, coming to a stop only when I crashed sickeningly into the wall behind him.

Ouch.

By the time I could shake the effects of the crash off all of my brothers had phased back to human form. "Holy fuck!" Quil breathed, echoing all of our sentiments to a 'T'.

Vladimir just chuckled maniacally.

"How is he doing this?" I asked of no one in particular as soon as I'd phased back to human form.

Lisa was the first one to answer. "Magick. This must be Lilith's doing."

"Well then, put a stop to it!" I barked.

"I'm trying!" She screeched in response. "It's complicated magick. Black magick. It's not easy to undo."

"I don't care what it is. I just want this bastard gone!" I stated vehemently. "He's too fucking close to Bella right now. I don't care that he's not really here. I don't even want him laying eyes on her! You saw her… this is the last thing she needs right now!"

"Stop it!" Seth yelled angrily, raising his voice to be heard over the chaos. "Stop yelling at her for fuck's sake!"

I paused in my tirade, shocked out of my mind. Seth was usually the mild-mannered one, the one who always chose diplomacy over confrontation. And moreover, he idolized the hell out of me. I was the last person he'd ever choose to go head to head with. In fact, in all of my recollections, this was probably the only time that Seth had spoken to me in anger. To say I was surprised over this turn of events was the understatement of the year.

Like me, the rest of the pack appeared to be similarly stunned at Seth's outburst. Everyone quieted down, trying to make sense of the situation. Lisa, particularly, was staring at him wide-eyed, almost as if she didn't know what to make of the situation either. Well, she could get in line as far as I was concerned.

The abrupt silence seemed to bring Seth out of whatever mindset he'd previously descended into. It was obvious, by the way he flushed furiously, that he became aware of the fact that he'd just yelled at his Alpha in front of his pack, his mortal enemies as well as the big, bad vampire we were supposed to be concentrating on destroying.

"Uh, sorry Jake…" He blurted out, going out of his way to avoid my gaze.

Before he could say anything else, Vladimir burst out laughing. "My, my… this is a rather _delicious_ turn of events," He gloated maliciously, "I must say, that when I decided to impose my presence on you today, it was never my expectation that I'd stumble on such an interesting conversation between all of you. My dear alpha, if I were you, I'd be swift to take action. Such dissention within the ranks can never be tolerated and must be weeded out at the roots immediately, wouldn't you agree?"

A chill ran through me. What had we done? How in Hades had we forgotten that we had an audience to our conversation? We couldn't have chosen a worse time to argue amongst ourselves. That was for sure. What the hell were we thinking? How could we have landed ourselves into such a situation? This was an unforgivable lapse in judgment and we'd have to work tirelessly to repair it. But for now, damage control was the order of the day.

"Lisa?" I questioned with an urgency born out of desperation. I just wanted this bastard gone before things got any worse or God forbid Bella came back.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there's nothing your witch can do to get rid of me." Vladimir interrupted smugly. "The spell is far beyond her meager capabilities I'm afraid."

"Lisa?!" I reiterated, hoping against hope that the bastard was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Jake…" She answered shakily. "I can feel the magick in the air, but I can't seem to grasp it enough to dissipate it…"

_Fuck!_

"What the hell do you want you miserable fuck?" I growled furiously. So much for keeping my cool. "Just say what you want to say and get the fuck out!"

"Now, now… is that any way to talk to your guests?" He chided, as if reprimanding a small child. I grit my teeth, determined not to rise to the bait again. "And besides, I can't state my business unless all relevant parties are present now, can I?"

I knew what he was implying and there was no way in hell that I was letting him see Bella much less talk to her. "As far as you're concerned, all relevant parties _are_ present, you asshole!"

"Tsk, tsk does Isabella know how easily you dismiss her?"

"Don't talk about her, you bastard!" I growled.

"And why not…? She'll belong to me, body and soul, soon enough."

"She will _never_ be yours!" Edward snarled before I could formulate any response.

"Ah, the erstwhile Edward Cullen, I presume. I've heard so much about you – you are Isabella's first love, her ex-husband and the father of her unborn child. I've wanted to meet you for a long time. Now that I finally have the opportunity, I find you sorely… lacking. I honestly don't know what Isabella saw in you. There's no accounting for teenage taste, I suppose."

"You know, for a while there, I was afraid that my wait had been in vain; that I'd lost her to you. It was not time for me to claim her yet, you see – lots of things had to fall into place before that could happen – and you were hell bent on turning her. I was afraid that I'd lost my chance. If you _had_ managed to turn her, then the prophecy would've been lost. She would've been tainted, impure, just like you are. She'd never have been as powerful as she can be if a true vampire, one like me, turns her. But thankfully for me, you turned out to be an even bigger loser than I'd anticipated."

"You _bastard!_" Edward growled.

"You can call me all the names you want, but it doesn't change the facts, does it? You had the brightest, most precious treasure in the world in your hands and you let it slip right through your fingers. You had the power to own her; to spend all of eternity with her, but instead of recognizing the potential in her, you chose to suppress it, to force her to be _human_, to recognize and appreciate her human failings. And in doing so, you lost her entirely. I don't know whether to pity you or to thank you for your stupidity."

Edward growled again, this time wordlessly.

"No matter." Vladimir continued, blithely ignoring the interruption. "Your loss is my gain."

I'd never seen Edward look so murderous, not even when dealing with me; and _that _was saying a lot. It was obvious, even to someone who didn't know him that well, that he was dying to get his hands on Vladimir and rip him to pieces the first chance he got. Well, boo-fucking-hoo. He was going to have to get in line as far as I was concerned. No way was I going to allow him or anyone else for that matter to take this guy out. He was mine and as soon as I could get my fucking hands on him, he was dead meat. I was going to destroy him, to annihilate him for what he'd put Bella through; for what he'd put my people through.

"Speaking of whom, where _is_ the lovely Isabella?" Vladimir continued, completely unconcerned with all the seething hatred he was inducing. "Haven't seen much of her in the time I've been here. Why don't one of you mongrels go fetch her for me? After all, I need to make sure my future bride is in the best of health…"

"You will _never_ lay eyes on her again, you asshole!" I spat with barely suppressed fury. Without turning around, I barked a request to my second in command, "Leah, go and make sure that Bells stays right where she is, will you?"

"With pleasure." Leah answered grimly; throwing a sassy wave at Vladimir's form before leaving the room.

"And that is where you're sorely mistaken, dog." Vladimir commented in a bored voice. "You might succeed in keeping Isabella away from me now, but it is you who will not lay eyes on her after I've claimed her for my own."

"Like hell!" I retorted. "We will never let you lay a single finger on her, you fucker. Any and all of us will die before we let that happen!"

"I believe I shall take great pleasure in fulfilling that particular wish of yours. In fact, I do believe I'll be generous enough to save you for last and let Isabella deal with you after her transformation. There'll be a delicious irony in letting her kill you, don't you think? Besides, you'd make such a wonderful wedding gift from me to my bride." He rumbled in satisfaction.

"Well, as far as delusions go, that one was particularly good." I drawled. "Too bad it'll never come true. Mind my words, bloodsucker, I'm going to tear your throat out and tear you into tiny little pieces before you ever get close to Bella again. And then, I'm going to take great pleasure in burning each piece of you, individually, until there's nothing left but a pile of smoldering ashes…"

"You silly, _silly_ mortal, do you really think you can take me on?" He scoffed condescendingly. "How wonderfully naïve of you! It's almost…entertaining. Don't you know? I'm _far_ older than you, and therefore stronger. I'm going to crush you like a bug beneath my feet. And I'm going to enjoy every single moment of it!"

By the time he was done gloating, I knew I was a hairsbreadth away from phasing again. I was almost incandescent with rage and was vibrating uncontrollably with the intense need to sink my teeth into the fucker's throat. Fucking smug bastard!

"Why don't you say what you came here to say and just get the fuck out of my house, dick?" Emmett piped up in the silence, earning my undying gratitude.

Vladimir turned to him, eyeing him distastefully. "You young fledglings, you think you're all so smart. I shall take great pleasure in teaching you some manners and respect before I end you…"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll find us, you'll torture us and you'll kill us. I think we kinda get the message." I drawled, trying to sound flippant, even as dread continued to pool in my gut. "Just get on with it already!"

"Fine!" He spat; his expression clearly indicating how much he wished he could punish me for my insolence. "I trust by now that you've all heard about the little _accident_ that Bella's mother had in Florida."

"Yes." I answered tightly.

"Good, _good_." He crowed gleefully. "So you know the reach of my powers now. I could have easily had them killed if I'd wanted. But I figured I'd. See if any of you are smart enough to recognize the futility of your actions and give in to me; give me what I want."

"And what exactly is it that you want?" I questioned, trying to get a rise out of him.

"Don't play with me _boy!_ I _want_ Isabella!" He snapped coldly. It was clear that he was quickly losing his grip on what little sanity he had left.

"Well we can't always get what we want, can we?" Embry countered scathingly.

Vladimir's face crystallized into a mask of true evil. His eyes glittered with malice.

"I suggest you rethink your position on the subject. You have 24 hours to change your mind before I burn your very existence off the face of this Earth!"

"Fuck you!" was Quil's pithy response.

Good boy Quil!

"Well then I'll just have to kill all of you I guess." Vladimir responded, his demeanor changing drastically, his eyes bulging out with rage. "I will rip your hearts out of your chests. I will tear you apart and feast on your flesh. I will bathe in your blood. But bare in mind, I won't kill you until I've killed all of your families, your friends, all your loved ones right in front of your very eyes. And it will be a horrible, gruesome death. I promise you, they will beg me to end them. I will extinguish your bloodline; your entire tribe. I will wipe your reservation off the map!" He raged senselessly. "All the people you've had an association with in life; anyone you've even smiled at will be dead and it will all be your fault!"

There was pin drop silence in the room as we all tried to assimilate this kind of malevolence.

"All this just because we refuse to hand over one girl…?" Jasper questioned, breaking the silence.

Lisa and Esme let out a horrified gasp at the utterly callousness of the question but I understood where the leech was coming from. Any information we got at this stage was important; a stepping stone that would ultimately lead to Vladimir's destruction and defeat.

"You're the one who they say can control people's emotions…? Are you trying to analyze mine?" Vladimir questioned Jasper gleefully, his mood doing a complete 180 once again. "I'm glad we got to meet. I've been meaning to have a conversation with you. I find myself very interested in you; you and your lovely wife, of course. Come. Join me. I'll reward you very handsomely for your services. I'd offer your brother, Edward, the same opportunity, but I doubt he'll want to come and see his precious Isabella with someone else for all eternity." He went on casually, behaving for all the world as if he was offering Jasper the chance of a lifetime.

Emmett scoffed derisively, "How about you answer the question, asshole!"

Vladimir turned to him, his gaze seething with hatred and rage. Huh. He gave mood swings a whole new name. If looks could've killed, then Emmett would've been nothing but a large pile of ashes on the floor. But when he spoke, Vladimir's voice reflected nothing but cold malice. "_Just _one girl…?" He sneered. "Isabella is _hardly_ just a girl. She is a goddess among women, the only one of her kind who can help me accomplish all my goals."

"And what, may I ask is that?" Edward finally spoke up, back to sounding like his usual calm self.

"She is prophesied to be the most powerful vampire ever to be brought into existence – the one who will rule all of Earth along with all of its inhabitants. And as her destined mate, I intend to rule mankind alongside her. Together, she and I will be invincible!" He roared righteously. "I have waited three thousand years for her and I will not let anything come between me, her and our destiny! Especially not a bunch of sniveling idiots like you! I will destroy the whole world if I have to, but in the end, Isabella _will_ be mine! So if you're interested in saving all of your lives and the lives of your loved ones, you'll ensure that she is handed into my possession within the next 24 hours."

He paused long enough to bestow a cold, withering smile. "Oh, and pass on a message to Isabella, will you? Tell her that if she ever wants to see her mother alive again, she'll do her level best to convince you to let her come to me…"

"You fucking bastard!" I roared, incensed. "What have you done?"

"Done? I haven't done anything. At least not yet. But my minions are standing by; waiting for my instructions; just in case any of you decide to have any bright ideas about deviating from the plan."

A red haze descended around my eyes. My rage boiled over; anger and frustration mixing into one explosive cocktail. I snapped. "You sick _fuck_!" I spat. "You pathetic bastard… you're such a coward that you can't even face me like a man! You hide behind your witch and her pathetic little magick tricks and you call yourself _powerful_…? You're nothing but a _pussy_, you _sniveling asshole_!"

"Jake…" Embry called out in a conciliatory voice.

But I was on a roll and in no mood for interruptions. "I'm going to take _pleasure_ in killing you, you bastard. I'm going to make sure you die a horrible, painful, pathetic death!"

"Jake!" Sam called out sharply.

"_What_?!" I snapped, irritated beyond belief with all the interruptions.

"He's gone." Sam answered simply.

What? How? I looked around wildly, taking several deep breaths in an effort to calm my rage down. And that's when I finally realized what Embry and Sam had been trying to tell me all along. Vladimir was gone – he'd vanished into thin air, just as suddenly as he'd appeared. I'd just been so furious that I hadn't even noticed his absence.

The lights in the room flickered back on, dispelling the shadows. Slowly but surely, the feeling of malevolence drained away. The bone chilling cold that had seemed to permeate the room with his presence was slowly replaced by warmth.

"What the _fuck_ just happened?" The sharp question, coming from the usually reticent Jared, was like a loud and deafening scream.

"Never mind that." I snapped, in no mood to analyze the nuances of the last fifteen minutes. There were much more important things to focus on than that. "How in the hell was he able to do it – breach our defenses? And how do we stop him from doing it again?"

An utter and complete silence greeted my question – not an encouraging sign under the best of circumstances. "Lisa…?" I prompted, trying my level best not to sound as if I were accusing her of actually bringing the bastard here.

Fortunately for me, Bella's friend had a much higher level of patience than any other individual in the room. Even though I could see the brief flicker of anger and wounded pride in her eyes, her voice when she answered me, was calm and collected. "I don't know what to tell you, Jacob. I thought I had this place locked down tight. Apparently I was wrong. His witch must be much more powerful than we've given her credit for."

Oh, for fuck's sake! "How do we stop them?" I snapped, barely managing to sound polite.

"I…I don't _know_." She answered, her tone conveying her helplessness.

Perfect, just fucking _perfect!_ Now what were we going to do?

Something in my countenance must've conveyed the extent of my frustration because Lisa's demeanor underwent a dramatic change. All of a sudden, she couldn't meet my gaze; her face undergoing the range of emotions from defeat to shame. I winced, feeling horrible for having made her feel inadequate. I didn't mean to blame her, not really, but God, I wanted a solution to this problem and I wanted it right fucking now. I was tired of having to worry about Bella all the fucking time. I was tired of putting my life with her on hold. I just wanted the bastard dead and gone forever so that Bella and I could finally be a normal couple (well, whatever constituted as normal for us anyway) and do normal couple-y things. (I just wanted to take her out on a date and have her sleep over at my place without having to worry about security measures and attacks in the middle of the night. Was that too much to ask for?)

Once again, it was Seth who spoke up on Lisa's behalf. "I think it's unfair of you to blame Lisa, Jake. She's clearly doing the best she can."

"Umm, I don't think I need you to speak up on my behalf, thank you very much!" Lisa snapped even before I could answer. "In case you didn't know, I can still talk!"

"Bu…" Seth sputtered, before being interrupted by Lisa once again.

"But nothing! Please stop meddling in my affairs! I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone else to do it for me, least of all you!"

Seth flushed, looking momentarily embarrassed, before his eyes flared with anger. "Fine! See if I care!"

"Good! I don't _want_ you to care!" Lisa retorted sharply.

"Well, it's good for you that I don't then!" was Seth's less than mature response.

"You have no idea!" Lisa shouted back.

Huh. This was the second time today that Seth had jumped to her defense. And the way she jumped down his throat for doing so…? Wow. Something was clearly going on between those two, not that I had the time _or_ the inclination to find out what it was right now.

"Stop it, both of you!" I ordered tiredly. "We need to focus on how to defeat Vladimir right now, not on petty arguments."

They both flushed, their faces heating up rapidly. But fortunately for all of us, neither of them uttered a word. I waited a heartbeat, just long enough to gain everyone's attention, before I uttered my next words. "We're done waiting. By whatever means necessary, we're going to find out where that bastard's holed up and we're taking the fight to him!"

A loud cheer greeted my words.

"I, for one, am tired of doing nothing; of putting my life on hold." I went on, as if there were no interruptions. "I want to find the little fucker and put an end to his existence once and for all!"

Yet another roar sounded, followed by a series of loud agreements.

"So, let's come up with a damn good plan and then let's take this fight to him!"

"Hell yeah!" roared Colin. "It's about damn time!" echoed Brady.

"One on one, I think we have an honest chance of going up against most of his forces, especially if we come up with a solid, airtight plan." I continued objectively. "The only ones we really need to worry about, are Alec and Jane and of course, Vladimir himself. His witch, Lilith, will be difficult to get by, but even if we manage to do that, I doubt if Vladimir will be an easy target; not when he's three thousand plus years old and has lived more lifetimes than all of us here combined. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. First we need to focus on finding him. Lisa, how are we going to locate him?" I questioned. "I know you've tried a locator spell many times already. Is there anything else you can do at this point of time?"

"I don't really know any of the advanced spells, but I do know one person who might." Lisa responded, sounding somber and determined. "My aunt."

"Well that's great, but how the hell is she going to help us all the way from London?"

"Fortunately for us, she isn't in London. She lives in Boston now. I've been talking to her for the last couple of weeks and during one of those conversations, she told me that she could come over and help if I needed her to. I'm going to call her right now and ask her if she can fly over right away."

Finally! The first piece of good news I'd heard in a long time. "See if she can fly over immediately." I exclaimed.

"We can arrange for a private jet to pick her up as soon as she's ready to leave." Edward pitched in.

For once, it didn't bother me that the Cullens had enough money to throw around on private jets. All I could focus on was the endgame – defeating Vladimir once and for all – and I couldn't deny the fact that Lisa's aunt coming over would help greatly with that objective.

"Good. Lisa, Carlisle, I'm leaving this up to the both of you."

"Yes, of course." Carlisle responded formally. "Anything I can do to help."

"Good" I responded. "I'll leave the details up to you. Just make sure that she gets here as soon as possible. Remember we have less than twenty four hours at our disposal."

Lisa and Carlisle exchanged grim nods and left to make the necessary arrangements for picking up Lisa's aunt.

"J…Jake?" Bella's plaintive voice stopped me before I could outline my plan further.

"Bells!" I exclaimed with false joviality. "How are you feeling now?"

"What are we going to do?" She wailed, sounding on the very verge of tears. "We can't let him do anything to Renee or anyone else for that matter!"

"What are you talking about?" Caught off guard by the question, I tried to pretend ignorance while throwing a stern glare at Leah who'd trailed in behind her.

"Sorry!" Leah mouthed silently.

"Don't do that! Don't try to keep me in the dark! I heard all of that! I know what Vladimir wants and what he's threatening to do if he doesn't get it!"

She was right, of course. I couldn't keep her in the dark. After all, the bastard was after her, not me. She had every right to be involved in the planning. By trying to keep her out for her 'own good' I was behaving no better than her dick of an ex-husband.

I sighed. "That's what we were discussing right now… how to get rid of Vladimir once and for all."

"And…?"

"We're taking this fight to him. We don't have any other choice." I declared.

"But how?!" Bella wailed. "We don't even know where he _is_!"

"We're working on that. Lisa's aunt is flying over. We're hoping she might have some ideas, since she's been practicing magick all her life."

"I…I might know of an easier way to locate him." Bella ventured timidly.

"What? How?" I questioned curiously.

"Well, he wants me, right? So we pretend that I'm giving myself up to him in order to save my mom…"

"Nuh uh! No fucking way!" I blurted out, at the same moment that Edward also shouted out his denial. (Well what do you know…? Apparently the leech and I could agree on something after all.)

"At least hear me out, Jake." Bella pleaded tearfully.

"I don't have to hear you out to know that this is an asinine plan to begin with and that I'm never, ever going to let you go through with it!" I declared emphatically.

"This is my _mom_ we're talking about, Jake! You can't expect me to just sit around and do nothing!" Bella argued.

"Have you forgotten what he did to you the last time he got his hands on you?" I hissed vehemently. "Because _I _haven't. I still have nightmares about it, Bells. And there's no way in _hell_ I'm ever letting you put yourself within reach of that bastard ever again, so please, _please_, just let me worry about taking care of Vladimir, alright? I _promise_ you, _nothing's_ going to happen to Renee, Phil or anyone else. I won't let it."

"How about we just hear her out…?" Leah interjected.

I lost it. "You're actually encouraging this insanity of hers? Have you lost your fucking mind?" I roared at her.

"Ease off buddy," Embry interrupted before Leah could say anything in response, "Just remember, that's my girlfriend you're talking to. And though I'm right there with you as far as the validity of Bella's plan goes, I also don't think there's any harm in hearing her out."

Oh fucking hell! Et tu, Brutus? "Fine." I spat, running my hands through my hair agitatedly. "Fine! By all means, Bella, _please_ tell us about this wonderful plan of yours!"

I could tell that Bella was hurt by my behavior but there was nothing I could do about it right now. I couldn't pretend that I was okay with my girlfriend willingly walking back into that sicko's den no matter how much I wished I could. I knew that I was behaving like an ass, but I couldn't seem to help it. I couldn't bear the thought of Bella being in danger again. She was too fragile and too precious to me, too _invaluable_ by far to risk.

"I was just thinking that I could pretend to give myself up and one of you could follow me, or better yet, we could have Lisa put a tracking spell on me!" Bella explained, taking great pains to avoid meeting my eyes throughout the explanation.

I was momentarily speechless. She couldn't really be serious, could she? There was just too much at stake here, too much that could go wrong with this insane plan.

"Not bad, Bella, not bad at all." Jasper drawled.

"What?!" Edward and I snapped simultaneously, our voices reflecting an immense amount of menace.

"But just so you know, there is another way to get rid of Vladimir, an infinitely easier way, if you ask me." He continued, having ignored both of our reactions.

What was he talking about?

"What way is that?" Embry questioned, saving me from the trouble of having to do so myself.

"Didn't you guys hear? This guy is obsessed with 'pure' vampires. He actually thanked Edward for not having turned Bella when they were together. He as much as admitted that if she'd become like us, it would've ruined her for his purposes…"

I growled low in my throat, feeling my temper spike dangerously. All around me, I could hear similar reactions being echoed by all of my brothers. He had better _not_ be suggesting what I think he was… or I'd tear him limb from limb with my bare hands.

Before I could react, there was a sudden blur of movement, followed by a thundering crash as Edward barreled into him with such force that they both went sprawling into the living room wall. "I cannot _believe_ you said that!" Edward growled.

"Hey, I don't know why you're so upset with me." Jasper responded calmly, "In case you haven't realized it yet, my plan kinda works in your favor, brother."

Temporarily shelving my need for violence, I spared a quick glance at Bella. She appeared to be devastated, her face paper white with shock. That's all it took for the rage to come pouring back. The son of a bitch was _so_ a dead man!

"Haven't you realized by now that turning Bella is _not_ an option?" Edward snarled.

"Hey, hey… I think y'all are overreacting just a tad bit."

_Overreacting?_ _Tad_ bit?! Yeah, right!

"I'm a strategist, remember? This is what I do. I analyze a situation and figure out the best/ easiest way out of it. I'm not saying that we should turn Bella. I'm just saying that doing so would be one of the quickest and easiest options."

"Yeah, well, it's _not_ an option!" Bella breathed fervently, "Not now, not ever! I hope I'm making it clear to all of you concerned that I don't want that. I'd rather _die._"

Wow. If I ever had any doubts about Bella's thoughts on the subject of turning, this sure laid all of them to rest. She couldn't have been any clearer about her wishes. But honestly, now that she'd clarified things in such no nonsense terms, I didn't know how to react to them. Of course I didn't want her to turn, ever, but if it ever came down to that or her dying, wouldn't it be better just to know that she was alive, even if it might be as my mortal enemy? God, I was so screwed up to even think this, but again, I couldn't bear the thought of living in a world that didn't have Bella in it.

"That's fine." Jasper responded, raising both his hands in a placating gesture. "Like I said, I was just putting all our options on the table, that's all."

"Well see that you just take that option out of the equation forever!" Edward hissed, sounding only slightly less agitated. "None of us will ever turn Bella!" Releasing his grip on Jasper's throat, he turned around to face his family, pinning them with a steady gaze. "Is that clear?"

After they'd all responded in the affirmative, everything seemed to return to normal once again. Everyone seemed to forget that things had almost come to blows just a few moments ago and returned to the topic at hand.

A huge part of me was thrilled at the fact that Edward's reaction clearly demonstrated his vehement opposition to ever turning Bella and yet… there was this tiny part of me that was freaking out about losing her too young; especially in light of her current health condition. And try as I might I could not silence that voice completely.

Fortunately for my state of mind, all the other parties in the room seemed to agree that the issue was pretty much settled and moved on to other, less confrontational topics.

"So boss, what happens once we locate the bastard?" Brady aimed his question at me, forcing me to recalibrate my wayward thoughts back to the conversation at hand.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and strove to outline the rest of the plan. "Once Lisa and her aunt have done their job and located Vladimir, Jasper, Edward and I will case out the place - try to locate all the entrances and exits so we can barricade all of them and figure out the most strategic points of attack."

Embry, Quil and Sam seemed about to protest, but one glance from me silenced their objections.

"Once those issues have been ironed out, we will split into groups and launch a simultaneous attack. Our main targets are Jane, Alec, Lilith and Vladimir. We have to take care of Jane and Alec before they use their powers to incapacitate us. So, whoever is closest to them will rip off their heads and burn them ASAP. The rest of Vladimir's minions shouldn't be too difficult to take care of. Hopefully Lisa and her aunt will help us in distracting Lilith, making her an easy target. And once we've taken care of all of these players, we concentrate on that bastard Vladimir."

"What about me?" Dylan questioned.

"What _about_ you?" I snapped impatiently.

"You don't think I'm going to be left behind, do you?"

"Uh, yes, as a matter-of-fact, I do." I stated emphatically.

"No way in hell!" was his equally emphatic response.

Fuck! I did not have time for this! And yet, I had to nip this insanity in the bud right away. "What exactly do you think you're going to do? These aren't ordinary people we're talking about; these are vampires! Do you have any idea how much stronger, faster, more lethal they are than you? You'd just get yourself killed if you got in their way. And I'm sorry, but I can't let that happen."

"What about your human employees then? Are they going to be kept out of the picture too?"

"No, of course not. They're trained for this sort of a thing."

"Well so am I! I was a member of the Special Forces. I know my way around weapons!"

"And how exactly are you going to use weapons against immortals?" Paul interjected scathingly. "In case it wasn't self-explanatory, being immortal kinda means they can't fucking die! Ergo, they tend to heal almost instantly. So guns aren't exactly effective against them!"

"Well, fine, so guns won't kill them, but they sure as hell will slow them down, won't they? And that'll give you more time to take them out. And what about explosives? Didn't you say that being set on fire could wound them mortally? Well, I'm great at mixing a mean Molotov cocktail!"

Well, I'll be damned. I would never have expected pretty boy Dylan to come up with any useful suggestions, but I had to admit that all of the things he was saying made a whole lot of sense. And he was totally right. He might not be able to actually kill them, but given a good vantage point and some lethal firepower he could give us a very significant advantage in the upcoming battle. And I didn't hesitate to say as much.

"You know Dylan, that's actually a brilliant suggestion. And as it happens, I have some extremely capable employees who can help you out with one or both of these activities."

Doing a quick tally in my head, I singled out about seventeen of my employees who were either excellent marksmen or experts in the field of explosives and asked Jared to call them in. "Dylan, you'll be in charge of this team. Just let them know what you need and they'll procure it for you. We already have a complete arsenal of long-range rifles back at our offices. I'll have Rafe and Reeve bring them in immediately. Come to think of it, we might just be able to call in a few favors and get our hands on some military grade C4."

This plan was beginning to sound better by the second. I was willing to bet anything that this would be the last tactic that Vladimir would ever expect us to pull and the element of surprise it would provide us could very well be priceless. "As soon as we've identified Vladimir's new lair, we'll figure out a vantage point for you guys and we'll take it from there, okay?" I concluded excitedly.

Dylan seemed more than pleased with the arrangement and with that issue settled, we quickly moved onto discussing other key aspects of the battle plan. It was decided that the pack and the Cullens would focus their efforts on taking out Vladimir's army while I would concentrate my efforts on Vladimir alone. I knew my new alpha powers could come in handy but knew that they could be used only as a last resort because I couldn't afford to leave my brothers weak and helpless, especially in the heat of battle.

Once I was satisfied that we were as prepared as we were going to be, I advised everyone to eat and get plenty of rest and assemble in the living room at oh six hundred for a last minute briefing. (We'd decided to launch our attack during the day – daylight being yet another thing that we hoped to use to our advantage.)

With a lot of trepidation I followed Bella into the room that'd been temporarily loaned to us by the Cullens. I didn't expect her to be thrilled about the way I'd dismissed her plan so summarily and it took quite a bit of time and effort on my part to cajole her out of that mood. Thankfully, once I'd explained my position and apologized (profusely, of course) for behaving like such an ass, she forgave me which lead to an er… shall we say, a very enjoyable and rather vigorous make-up session.

Sleep was a long time coming, what with so much at stake on the outcome of the battle and it was way past midnight by the time I managed to fall into a restless slumber.

It seemed like hardly any time had passed when I was woken up by the sound of voices coming from the direction of the living room. I glanced at the bedside clock, which told me it was 3.58 a.m., nowhere near time for people to be up yet. A quick peek revealed that Bella was already up and about. Jeez, I couldn't believe I hadn't woken up when she'd moved around. I must've been out like a light.

Haphazardly throwing on some clothes, I made my way towards the source of the noise, only to discover that the commotion had been caused by Lisa's aunt's arrival. Wow. When I'd told Carlisle to get her here as soon as possible, I'd never expected it to be this soon. Apparently, when the good doctor set out to do something, he really left no stone unturned.

Appreciating the efficiency, I turned my attention to our would-be savior. What I saw surprised the hell out of me. Lisa's 'aunt' was no more than 27, 28 years old, at the most. I'd honestly expected her to be… well… older. What was more, she was an older, taller, more confident version of Lisa herself. In other words, she was _hot_, (The fact that I was head over heels in love with Bella didn't mean that I didn't have eyes, after all) and my supernatural senses told me that I wasn't the only one who noticed this little tit-bit.

Dylan, in particular, seemed… intrigued, if his actions were anything to go by. As soon as Lisa made the introductions (apparently her name was Sara and she was Lisa's dad's younger sister), Dylan wasted no time in pulling her aside. "_That's_ your aunt?" I could hear him question frantically. The moment Lisa reiterated the fact; he gave a low wolf whistle. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!" He whispered, sounding awe-struck. "How come none of _my _aunt's ever look like this?!" The comment, of course, earned him nothing but a heated glare and a punch in the arm.

Passing a lewd comment about a woman's aunt in her presence…? Such a rookie mistake! Shaking my head ruefully, I focused my attention on the matter at hand.

"Sara, hi, I'm Jacob. Sorry about the short notice but honestly, I…we…really appreciate you being here so soon."

"No problem." Sara responded coolly. "It wasn't like I wasn't expecting the call anyway."

Well, that was a hostile reaction if I'd ever heard one. I mean, sure, we'd just met and she didn't have any reason to be particularly friendly with me, but I couldn't remember the last time a woman (any woman) had been this cold with me. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"Now, let me just clarify some things first…" Sara went on brusquely, ignoring the stunned surprise on my face, "I _really_ don't like getting involved in a fight between werewolves and vampires; it isn't any of my business what either of your race does to the other; but since my niece was already neck-deep in this particular fight, I figured I had no choice in the matter but to help you out. That being said, I'm not exactly happy to be here, clear?"

Wow – brutal and to the point. But at least that explained the hostility, I guess. "As crystal!" I responded drily.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to know what exactly is the situation at hand." Sara carried on, spurring me into action.

Haltingly (and with a lot of interruptions), I laid out the entire operation to her, trying to make sure that I covered each and every detail, no matter how small. "And that's where you and Lisa come in." I finished, "We need your help to locate the bastard and then, to help keep his witch out of the way so that we can take him out once and for all."

She was silent for a minute or two, appearing to be lost in thought. Then she nodded her head emphatically and responded, "Alright, that sounds easy enough."

A palpable sense of anticipation filled the air. After weeks of fruitless searching and countless disappointments, we were finally getting ready to take this bastard down once and for all. We were all excited.

"But before we begin," Sara continued, "I'd like to get introduced to the person who's at the center of all this. Bella."

I couldn't help but frown. Where _was_ Bella? I'd just assumed that she was around in the crowd somewhere. Turns out, I was wrong. Huh. Maybe she was in the shower or something…? I stretched out my senses, trying to pinpoint her location with my newfound awareness of her. Nothing.

A tendril of dread snaked down my spine. "I'll go get her." I responded distractedly, already making my way around the throng of people and towards our bedroom.

"Bells?" I called out as soon as I walked in, not really expecting a response but desperately hoping for one anyway.

Silence.

"Bella?" I called out more loudly, peeking quickly into the room adjacent to ours.

Still no answer.

By this time, the others had caught on that something was amiss. "What's the matter?" Quil asked coming up behind me.

"Nothing." I answered and then quickly amended it to, "Everything." Taking a deep, calming breath, I tried once again. "I don't know. Probably nothing. I just can't seem to find Bella. Have you seen her?"

"No," Quil responded grimly, "but I'll help you look. We all will." He volunteered on behalf of everyone present there. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find her."

A flurry of activity commenced as everyone scattered around, looking for my missing girlfriend.

Unfortunately, I didn't quite share Quil's optimism. I didn't know why but I was almost certain that she wasn't here – not in the house and not on the premises. It was just a gut feeling, but then, where Bella was concerned, my gut had never been wrong before. And now, with the additional connection brought on by the mating bond, it was an even more unlikely prospect.

The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming. So was the associated despair and fear. I couldn't believe I'd managed to lose her yet again. And after all my lofty promises to keep her safe. Jesus Christ!

And what was even more shameful; the one thing I couldn't even begin to understand; was how the bastard had managed to get past our formidable defenses and get to Bella, without alerting a single one of us present here. Again! It just didn't seem possible, and yet I was afraid that that was exactly what'd happened.

"Jake!" The urgency in Lisa's voice jolted me into action. I rushed blindly towards the sound of her voice, only just barely managing to avoid crashing into her. "What?" I questioned frantically, gripping onto her arms tightly. "What is it? What did you find?"

Mutely, she held out a single sheet of paper towards me, her hand visibly trembling with the force of her emotions. With mounting trepidation, I saw that it was a note of some kind, a note written in Bella's handwriting. Something, an unknown instinct inside me jangled in warning. Even without reading it, I somehow knew what it was going to say…and every nerve inside me screamed in protest. I did _not _want to read that note. And yet, I had to.

_Lisa,_

_I can't just sit around and do nothing while all of you risk your lives for me. I have to do this. I have to go to him. I hope you understand._

_Use the bracelet to track me. Hopefully, it'll lead you right to Vladimir. _

_I'm counting on you Lee. See you soon._

_Love,_

_Bella._

_P.S. Tell Jake that I love him very much and that I'll see him real soon. _

I crumpled the note in my fist. No! No! She could _not_ have done this. She could _not_ be this stupid! To risk her life like that…? What the hell was she thinking? If anything happened to her… if that bastard hurt one hair on her head… God, I would die.

Jesus fucking Christ! Of all the idiotic, insane things to do! God, I was going to lose my fucking mind!

"What bracelet is she talking about?" I snapped at Lisa, teetering on the very brink of a complete, total meltdown.

She mutely held out the wolf bracelet that I'd given Bella at her graduation all those years ago. A sharp pain bloomed in my gut, making me want to curl in on myself in agony. I had to find her. I had to find her before it was too late. "Well what're you waiting for?!" I barked. "Track her!"

Then I turned around to my pack barely managing to hang on to the last of my sanity. "Get ready to leave as soon as Lisa gives us a location!" I ordered simply, unable to say anything else.

"Uh, Jacob, if I could have a moment of your time…?" Carlisle interrupted tentatively.

"Not now, Doc!" I dismissed him brusquely, mentally gearing up for the battle ahead.

Carlisle cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Please Jacob." He implored. "This'll only take a minute. And I can _guarantee_ that this is something you'll want to hear."

"No." Edward blanched, blatantly eavesdropping on the doctor's thoughts. "_No!_"

A tendril of fear slid down my spine. "What is it Carlisle?!" I questioned urgently.

"Er, not here. How about you come into my office for a minute?"

With my legs trembling with dread I followed him into his office. I watched on with mounting terror as he proceeded to close and lock all the doors and the windows.

Finally, just as I was about to lose my fucking mind, he sat down at his desk and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I just got Bella's test results back, Jacob…"

"And…?" I questioned fearfully, trying to brace myself for the worst.

And yet nothing could have prepared me for the words that came out of Carlisle's mouth next. "She's pregnant, Jacob. You're going to be a father."

**A/N: - Just a few more chapters left in the saga.**

**Hope you enjoyed the update even though it was such a long time coming. If you did, please don't forget to leave a review and let me know. It is your comments and PM's that have made me want to keep going despite feeling utterly overwhelmed by the task so many times and it is your reviews that'll make me feel more inspired to write faster in the future too. So, keep em' coming! **


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